With KL Rahul‘s resilient half-century in opposition to England enjoying an important position in placing the hosts in a commanding place on the second day of the inaugural Test, Zaheer Khan, the previous Indian quick bowler, likened Rahul’s present kind to a 2.0 model of his previous self.
Commending Rahul’s batting efficiency and its affect on the continued Test match on the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, former England cricketer Owais Shah and ex-India captain Anil Kumble additionally expressed their appreciation.

In the primary innings, Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja contributed vital half-centuries, propelling India to a lead of 175 runs by the tip of day two, with the rating standing at 421/7 in 110 overs.

Rahul showcased his prowess by attaining his 14th Test fifty, securing the highest rating with 86 runs off 123 balls. His innings mirrored a mix of persistence and precision, that includes 8 fours and a pair of sixes throughout his keep on the crease.
Zaheer, an skilled on JioCinema and Sports18, spoke of Rahul’s batting, saying: “If we look at Rahul’s career, he has had a lot of injury concerns. There have been times when he has been injured while hitting peak form and he hasn’t been able to capitalise on this form, something you require in international cricket. But looking at the recent past, with the successful World Cup campaign and the South Africa series, we can say this is a 2.0 version of Rahul.”

Former England cricketer Owais Shah mentioned Rahul didn’t play any horizontal bat pictures and somewhat performed with a straight bat.
“If we look at his batting, he attempted the sweep shot only four times, whereas most of the English batsmen played the sweep. He played with a straight bat and got his boundaries and singles with straight-bat shots. Many say we should not play KL Rahul, but I would say he is a wonderful batsman and should play regularly,” mentioned Shah.

At the shut of play on Friday, Jadeja remained unbeaten on 81, whereas Axar Patel offered stable help with a rating of 33.
Anil Kumble, the enduring former captain of India and famend spinner, shared his insights on the lead that India goals to ascertain on this explicit match.
“I think these two batters (Jadeja and Axar) will look to stretch the lead to 250. Both of them are good batters and have got a good start. So I think they would be looking to a lead of 245-250,” mentioned Kumble.
(With IANS inputs)