KL Rahul mastering the art of middle-order batting – Ashwin

In a thrilling twist of events at the Asia Cup 2023 Super Four stage, KL Rahul emerged as the star of the show, drawing accolades from veteran Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin.

Rahul's remarkable batting performance, featuring a splendid century against arch-rivals Pakistan, has left cricket enthusiasts awestruck. 

With an impressive 111 runs off just 106 deliveries, including 12 well-timed fours and two towering maximums, Rahul's brilliance on the field stole the limelight.

Speaking about Rahul's pivotal role in the middle order, Ashwin highlighted his contribution to the team's stability. Drawing a comparison to the legendary MS Dhoni, Ashwin emphasized that Rahul's role in the middle order was unique and should not be equated with Dhoni's iconic stint as India's former skipper. 

Ashwin compares KL Rahul with MS Dhoni

“KL Rahul is giving us that stability with the bat in the middle-order. That’s why batting in the middle-order is really difficult. MS Dhoni nailed that art. However, I am not at all comparing KL Rahul with MS Dhoni,” Ashwin remarked.

Further assessing Rahul's performance, Ashwin noted the gradual mastery of his role. He commended Rahul's partnership with Ishan Kishan in a crucial match against Sri Lanka, where their combined efforts helped India secure a vital 41-run victory, propelling them into the final of the continental championship. 

Also Read: Gambhir confident KL Rahul has World Cup 2023 slot locked

Ashwin also praised Rahul's game awareness, citing his wise decision to leave deliveries alone when facing a bowler in peak form.

“But I feel he is slowly mastering his role perfectly. He put a partnership with Ishan Kishan initially against Sri Lanka too. When Dunith Wellalage was in a great rhythm, KL Rahul left it alone for two deliveries. That was a very good sign. It showed us that he had a good game plan,” the veteran added.

As the tournament unfolds, cricket enthusiasts eagerly await the climax of the Asia Cup, where Rohit Sharma and his team await their opponents in the summit clash. 

The finalists will emerge from the battle between Pakistan and Sri Lanka, a match that was impacted by rain and shortened to a 45-over affair. Meanwhile, India will lock horns with Bangladesh in their final Super Four stage clash, adding to the anticipation and excitement surrounding this thrilling cricket spectacle.

Prasenjit DeyPrasenjit Dey

Prasenjit Dey is an independent cricket journalist with Bylines across reputed publications like Cricbuzz, The Hindu, The Cricketer, Fancode, and The Quint Among Others. He has an experience of eight years in the field and is a valuable addition to the Cricnerds team. You can follow him on Twitter @CricPrasen.

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