Ravi Shastri Praises KL Rahul for Adaptability in 2nd ODI vs New Zealand

Former India coach Ravi Shastri praised KL Rahul for his stability in the middle order after his unbeaten 112 in the second ODI against New Zealand at Rajkot.

Former India head coach Ravi Shastri praised KL Rahul for a composed century in the second ODI against New Zealand in Rajkot. Rahul hit an unbeaten 112 from 92 balls, registering his eighth ODI hundred. He steadied India after early wickets.

Shastri noted that conditions challenged batters early, with the pitch slowing and the ball softening. Rahul began cautiously before increasing his scoring rate with calculated aggression. India slipped to 118-4 at one stage, but Rahul rebuilt through partnerships with Ravindra Jadeja and Nitish Kumar Reddy.

“When he came, it wasn’t easy. To do it the way he did, I think full credit. He came at number five today, but India won 118-4 at one stage when Virat got out. The pitch had slowed up a bit. The ball was a little older and softer. And two newcomers had come to the crease. Jadeja and he were both on zero when that partnership started,” Shastri said when speaking on BCCI.tv.

“And then once he reached about 30 or 40, you could see the fluency. He started opening up and played some terrific shots. For him to, show the temperament that he showed there, he kept his calmness, his cool, to suss the conditions — that’s maturity,” he continued.

“I thought he paced the innings beautifully. Wickets were falling around him. And then in the last four overs, we know the damage he can do. We saw it even in the last game, the way he finished it. You look at the eventual score, 118 to 284. 165 runs were scored during the time he was at the crease, and he scored 112 of them. Lower down the order, it’s never easy at number five to come and get 100. I think full credit. That stability he gives that middle order is extremely important,” Ravi Shastri concluded.

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India eventually posted 284 for 7. However, New Zealand got a seven-wicket win, led by Daryl Mitchell, who scored a match-winning century. The final ODI will be played on Sunday, January 18, at the Holkar Cricket Stadium.