KL Rahul sacrificed his wicket for team: Sunil Gavaskar unconcerned by opener's form

Fair to say that KL Rahul hasn't quite been as consistent since his return from injury as he was before that. But, does that give Team India a headache for the T20 World Cup 2022? India great Sunil Gavaskar doesn't think so.

Since the start of the Asia Cup 2022, Rahul has aggregated scores of 0, 36, 28, 6, 62, 55, 10 and 1. Known for his consistency with the bat, the lad from Karnataka hasn't quite managed to execute his plans the way he has been for the most part of his career.

After Rahul was dismissed for just 1 run in the T20I series decider against Australia on Sunday, questions were raised over his form going into the T20 World Cup 2022. However, Sunil Gavaskar remains unconcerned about the topic.

"Well, he was doing what the team was expecting him to do which was both the times, you saw he got a fifty in the first game but in the second game, where he had to throw the bat from the first ball because it was an 8-overs-a-side game, he sacrificed his wicket for the team," Gavaskar told Star Sports after India wrapped a 2-1 series win on Sunday in Hyderabad.

"Similarly, the asking rate in the 3rd T20I match was more than 9 runs an over, it's never easy, you want to get off to a good start. He sacrificed his wicket over there," he added.

Gavaskar feels Rahul needs to be playing proper cricketing shots rather than trying to be ultra-attacking at the start of the game as it isn't his strength.

"Again, like Kohli, when Rahul is playing proper cricketing shots, then he is unstoppable. But when these two players are trying to swing across the line, that is not their strength. They can play across the line when they come to the front foot and flick it that away but trying to play that cross-batter shot, they get into trouble. If they try to avoid that, they will keep scoring runs consistently," he explained.

Rahul would be hopeful of rediscovering some form in the South Africa series which gets underway on September 28.