'KL Rahul is the best batsman we have in T20s': India batting coach Vikram Rathour backs under-fire opener

KL Rahul has not looked in any sort of rhythm whatsoever in the three T20Is against England so far but India batting coach Vikram Rathour said ‘anybody can have a lean phase’ and a few cheap dismissals don’t change the fact Rahul is India’s ‘best’ in T20s.

Opening the batting for India is a hard task, perhaps the hardest when you have players like Shikhar Dhawan and Ishan Kishan fighting for that same spot. Despite being one of India’s most consistent performers in the T20Is, KL Rahul is under scrutiny after he registered 1,0,0 in the three T20Is against England. However, the attacking right-hander has the backing of the Team management. First captain Virat Kohli referred Rahul as a ‘champion player’ and then batting coach Vikram Rathour termed him as India’s ‘best T20 batsman.’

Indian batsman KL Rahul walks back to the pavillion after being dismissed during the third T20 cricket match between India and England, at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Tuesday, March 16, 2021. (PTI)

Rahul has not looked in any sort of rhythm whatsoever in the three T20Is against England so far but Rathour said ‘anybody can have a lean phase’ and a few cheap dismissals don’t change the fact Rahul is India’s ‘best’ in T20s.

"Anybody can have a lean phase and KL has been our best batsman in T20 format. He is averaging 40 plus with a strike rate of 145 and 3 failures doesn't change the fact that he is the best batsman we have in this format," Rathour said after India lost the 3rd T20I by eight wickets against England in Ahmedabad.

"This is the time when we need to support him and I am absolutely sure he will come back out of the lean phase," the batting coach spoke in the same vein as Kohli did at the presentation ceremony.

In the first match, Rahul dragged a Jofra Archer delivery back onto his stumps, in the second, he was trapped by Sam Curran and on Tuesday, Rahul was beaten for pace by a Mark Wood delivery that rattled his stumps.

The right-hander has not played any competitive cricket ever since the limited-overs leg of the Australia tour last year. While he has been with the Test team, practicing in the nets, the lack of batting in the middle was evident in his rusty movement.

Rathour too agreed that rustiness could be a reason and all it would take is one good shot to get back into the groove.

"I agree they do tend to get rusty when they are sitting out but only thing we can do is to provide them practice. They are having a lot of net sessions and even on middle (centre strips)," he said.

"That's all they can do and we can just hope that one innings or one shot and they will be back in form. People like KL Rahul," he added.