KL Rahul admits Indian batters struggle against spin, seeks guidance
What's the story
KL Rahul, leading the Indian cricket team in the absence of Shubman Gill for the ODI series against South Africa, has admitted that his side's batters have struggled to tackle spin bowling. The admission comes after India's recent 0-2 Test series defeat against South Africa. South African spinners Simon Harmer and Keshav Maharaj outperformed their Indian counterparts, leaving the home side unable to chase down a modest target of 124 runs in the final innings.
Acceptance
Rahul acknowledges the need for improvement
Rahul acknowledged that Indian batters have struggled with spin bowling. He said they are open to learning from former players like Sunil Gavaskar. "We know it, we acknowledge it. It's part of a batter's job to recognize when we are not playing spin properly," Rahul said in Ranchi. "You spoke about Gavaskar sir speaking on the issue — we can talk to him and understand what we need to do better against spin," he added.
Reflection
Rahul's personal experience with spin bowling
Rahul also reflected on his own struggles against spin bowling, especially in the second innings of the final Test against South Africa. He was bowled by a Harmer delivery after attempting a cross-batted shot to an off-spinner who turned one sharply back into the right-hander. The wicketkeeper-batter admitted he regretted his execution against Harmer and said they are already working on ways to improve their performance against spin bowling.
Personal growth
Rahul stresses on individual improvement against spin
Rahul stressed that each player needs to find ways to improve their game against spin bowling. He said, "Individually, we need to find ways to play it better." The Indian captain also highlighted the importance of reaching out to senior players for guidance on improving their performance against spin. "We will reach out to our seniors, and we will try to learn from them," he said.
Defeat analysis
India's Test series defeat to South Africa
Head coach Rahul Dravid and selector Ajit Agarkar have been criticized for India's Test series defeat to South Africa. However, many experts including Gavaskar, have blamed the loss on India's inability to play spin as well as they used to. This decline isn't new; even players like Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, and Rohit Sharma have struggled against quality spin in their later careers.