‘Doesn’t deserve a spot when Shubman Gill is present’ – Rashid Latif unhappy with India for persisting with KL Rahul

KL Rahul. (Photo Source: Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

KL Rahul has been going through a rough patch in international cricket. He has specifically given low returns in Tests, having failed to score a half-century in the last 10 innings. Rahul’s poor form has attracted criticism from several former cricketers who want him to be dropped from the playing XI immediately. Notably, Rahul has scored 38 runs in the three innings played in the series against Australia.

Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif has also lashed out at the Indian opener, saying that he does not deserve to be in the Playing XI when Shubman Gill is in the squad. Gill has been in sensational form across formats in the past two months. He scored a hundred against Bangladesh in the first Test played in December.

He further carried his form in ODIs where he scored two hundreds and a double hundred in January. The 23-year-old also broke the record for the highest Individual score by an Indian in T20Is as he played a scintillating unbeaten knock of 126 of 63 balls against New Zealand earlier this month.

Despite his dream run in international cricket, Gill failed to find a place in the playing XI for the first two Tests in the ongoing series against Australia. Meanwhile, Latif was heavily critical of the Indian opener and accused the Indian team management of favouritism for wanting to play Rahul.

“Ye (Rahul) deserve hi nahi karte Shubman Gill ke hote hue. Bahaana kuch bhi nahi hai, bas inko khilaana hai. (Rahul doesn’t even deserve a spot in the XI when Shubman Gill is there. There is no excuse here. The management just want to play him (Rahul),” said Latif while speaking on his Youtube channel.

Due to his dismal run in Test cricket, the BCCI took away the vice-captaincy from Rahul. Commenting on the matter, former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh said that it will be now easier for the management to drop him as he is not a vice captain anymore.

The VC tag is not there, which means we will see Shubman Gill opening: Harbhajan Singh

“When you’re not the vice-captain, it becomes easier for the management and selectors to make you sit out. Once you’re a vice-captain, no matter what sort of performances you have given, you’re still featured in those eleven guys who will participate in the game,” Harbhajan told India Today.

“But not that VC tag is not there. with KL Rahul, you know he’s a quality quality player who’s going through a dry patch where he is not scoring runs. We all know that. But I’m sure he will come good with the bat. But yes, the vc tag is not there, which means we will see Shubman Gill opening with Rohit Sharma,” he added.