Post Date: Post Date – 12:47 PM, Wednesday – Nov 2
Photo: Ians
Adelaide: Former England perimeter player Graeme Swan believes India opener KL Rahul needs to be on the front foot more while batting and watching to get back in shape ahead of Adelaide’s crucial Group 2 tie with Bangladesh T20 World Cup oval shape.
Rahul has had a very hot time at the T20 World Cup, with India playing 4, 9 and 9 in three Super 12 matches so far. He was overly cautious at the crease and didn’t show much footwork to control the opposing bowler when hitting the ball.
“I don’t think there is (there’s nothing to worry about). I think he’s just out of shape. He looks like he’s getting
Returning to Perth, he fell one to the ground, but then ran down and slipped another. So, it’s just a batter trying to hit it too late at the minute.
“He needs to be on the front foot more, hit the ball and look at it seriously. You absolutely can’t let him go, KL Rahul is a potential superstar in the World Cup final. I’ll stick with him because Adelaide’s batting goal is very good. Pretty, so make hay (when the sun is shining),” Swan said on Star Sports’ “Game Plan.”
In the Indian campaign, Virat Kohli and Surya Kumar Yadav have been the standouts so far. Kohli beat Pakistan with an unbeaten 82 at the MCG for a thrilling four-goal victory and is not out with a 62 at the SCG.
The Adelaide Oval has been Kohli’s happy hunting ground in the past, scoring a whopping 843 points in nine games in all forms at the venue, including the five and two-and-a-half centuries, with an average of 70.25. With familiarity with the field and its dimensions, Swan saw Kohli find success against Bangladesh.
“Well, I can only imagine how you feel as a batsman because I’ve never been like that. But, I know Adelaide is a bowler. You’re intimidated, it’s a good bat Gate. The square border is very small, smaller than a lot of Indian land, small, but the straight border is huge.
“So, you’re desperately trying to bowl straight to the ground and have those guys knock you down. But once people see those square boundaries and Virat is a master at doing that, his cover drives, then flicks and pulls, It’s a terrible bowling place. I think Villarth could get some big scores.”
