Former India cricketer Irfan Pathan took centre stage and talked about the batting position of star batter KL Rahul after the Men in Blue defeated New Zealand in the first ODI of the ongoing multi-format series.
The 1st ODI of the ongoing multi-format white-ball series between India and New Zealand saw the Men in Blue register a brilliant victory. The two sides locked horns at the Kotambi Stadium in Vadodara on January 11, and the clash saw New Zealand post a total of 300 runs in the first innings.
The run chase saw ace batter Virat Kohli scoring 93 runs, with Shubman Gill adding 56 runs on the board. Furthermore, KL Rahul amassed 29* runs to finish the game for the Men in Blue as the hosts registered a four-wicket victory.
With the first ODI’s conclusion, many fans came forward and asked questions about KL Rahul’s batting position. It is worth noting that Rahul batted at 6 in the first ODI, and former India cricketer Irfan Pathan came forward to give his take on the same.
“When KL Rahul bats, people often ask why he is batting so low. But we need to keep in mind that the rule has now changed because the ball reverses slightly after the 34th over. If the ball doesn’t reverse, it is slow. In those situations, a technically correct batter makes a difference. Other batters were getting slightly troubled in the first ODI but Rahul was well in control. Rahul showed what his approach was when he kept taking singles. It was predicted he would target the 49th over and sealed the game with two fours, followed by a six,” Irfan Pathan said in a video on his YouTube channel.
Pathan gave his take on Shreyas Iyer as well
Furthermore, the former India all-rounder talked about the performance of star batter Shreyas Iyer. The middle-order batter was stellar for India in the first ODI, scoring 49 runs in 47 deliveries, helping his side chase down the target.
“Shreyas Iyer enjoyed a fruitful return and showed why he is a solid No.4. He can stand and hit big shots against spin and it’s a big positive after that injury. Shubman Gill also had a good time in the middle. Gill struggled at the start and looked to take time. It’s understandable for a player, who has struggled for runs in his last 10 innings, including Tests, T20Is and Vijay Hazare Trophy,” Pathan said.
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