KL Rahul has received praise from Aakash Chopra for putting his detractors to rest with a game-winning hit in the World Cup 2023 encounter between India and Australia.
On Sunday, October 8, the Australians imposed a 200-run goal on the Men in Blue at Chepauk in Chennai. KL Rahul went on to smash an unbeaten 97 off 115 balls, aiding Rohit Sharma and company in winning by six wickets with 52 balls remaining.
Rahul has received unfair criticism in the past, according to Chopra, who made the observation in a video posted on his YouTube channel. He stated:
“He has been the recipient of a lot of criticism. I feel he has been trolled unnecessarily on social media. Sometimes it is extremely toxic criticism. Not that he is my relative but the fact is that he scores a lot of runs.”
Aakash Chopra
The elegant hitter has undeniable quality, the former Indian opener noted. He clarified:
“He is an extremely versatile player. Shoaib (Akhtar) said that he is a classy player and Irfan (Pathan) also said the same thing. So whether you are from this country, the neighbors or anywhere else, if you understand cricket, when you see KL Rahul playing, his class is evident. He is a classy player.”
Aakash Chopra
When India was in a critical situation at 2/3 after two overs, Rahul stepped out to bat. He and Virat Kohli (85 off 116) contributed 165 runs for the fourth wicket to get the hosts out of difficulty and guarantee that they crossed the finish line when Kohli was dismissed.
“He has been unstoppable since he came back from injury” – Aakash Chopra on KL Rahul
KL Rahul received accolades from Aakash Chopra for playing consistently after making a comeback from thigh surgery and for performing well under difficult circumstances in Chennai. He declared:
“He has been unstoppable since he came back from injury. His average this year is about 73. He is a versatile player because he opens and wants to open, but since he doesn’t get to open, he plays at No. 5. He batted after keeping wickets for 50 overs in Chennai. You have only three types of weather there – hot, hotter, hottest.”
Aakash Chopra
The former cricketer-turned-commentator finished by saying that Rahul was deserving of being named Player of the Match while noting that the wicketkeeper-batter was unfortunate not to get a century. He stated:
“He was absolutely outstanding and had Hardik Pandya not hit that six, he would have even scored his century. The assurance with which KL Rahul plays, he is not troubled by pace or spin, he is absolutely brilliant. He was worthy of the Player of the Match award.”
Aakash Chopra
When India needed five runs to win, Rahul said at the post-game presentation that he was hoping to knock a four and a six to get his century. He missed the opportunity to get a century because he timed his stroke better than he had hoped, as the ball went past the boundary.