Saba Karim, a former Indian writer and scriptwriter, feels that Team India will have to be patient with star batsmen KL Rahul and Virat Kohli if they are to return to their best.
Rahul has struggled with the bat since his international return against Zimbabwe last month. He was off the first ball in the opening AFC Asian Cup 2022 in India against Pakistan. Despite scoring 36 points in their next encounter against Hong Kong, the opening game struggled during his stay 39 balls in the tuck.
On Wednesday (August 31) in Dubai, Kohli unbeaten 59 from 44 deliveries to help The Men in Blue score 193 goals for Hong Kong. Subsequently, Indian bowlers Benzakat Khan and his cohorts held 152/5 to win the match by 40 runs, becoming the second team after Afghanistan to qualify for the Super 4.
When Kohli took his eye, he quickly regained speed after starting slowly. Fours and one sixes were included in 59 times out of 44 deliveries.
I agree that we could have scored 15-20 more points: Saba Karim
Saba Karim emphasized how difficult it is for any player to find his rhythm after recovering from an injury or a break. After India’s 40-time win over Hong Kong, the former goalkeeper expressed his reservations about Rahul and Kohli’s performance to India News Sports as follows:
“The ball was stopping a little early because the wicket was new. I think we might have scored another 15-20 points, but you have to be aware that KL Rahul and Virat Kohli are two players coming back into the squad after a long absence,” Saba Karim said.
“If you expect too much too quickly, it will cause problems for your team. You need to take care of your veteran players when they come back from a vacation period.”
Next, India will face the winner of the September 2 match between Pakistan and Hong Kong.
Read also: AFC Asian Cup 2022: Ravindra Jadega becomes India’s most successful player in the history of tournaments
