Rahane And Pujara Are India’s Best Middle-Order Players: KL Rahul

Mumbai: India Test stand-in skipper KL Rahul said Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane are the country’s best middle-order batters and added their second innings knocks in the second Test against South Africa will give them the confidence to do better in the series-decider.

“They have been great players for us (on Pujara and Rahane), have always worked for us over the years, have been under the pump recently, but we believe Pujara and Rahane are our best middle-order players, to go out there, bat in that mindset and play such an innings. It’ll give them confidence and make them do even better in the next Test,” said KL Rahul after India suffered a defeat in the second Test.

Dean Elgar played the captain’s innings with an unbeaten 96 as he levelled the 3-match series against India at 1-1 to help the hosts clinch a 7-wicket win over the hosts. KL Rahul said that the visiting team was 50-60 runs short in the first innings.

“Every Test match we play, we want to win, we go out there and compete hard, but South Africa played really well and deserved this win. We were looking to hit the ground today, try and do something special, the pitch was playing up and down to score 122, we had a good chance, but their batsmen played really well,” said Rahul.

“If I want to be harsh, there were at least 50-60 runs short in the first innings of 202, we should have scored more runs and brought them under pressure. Shardul (Thakur) has been fantastic for us, we have done a lot. He has bowled well in the first innings and gave us a chance even today.”

“With Siraj, we need to monitor him in the nets. It’s tough to come back immediately from a hamstring issue, but we do have good bench strength in the form of Umesh and Ishant,” he added.

India and South Africa will now lock horns in the third Test from January 11.

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