India back Rahul to hit top gear in Bangladesh Test

India are backing senior batsman KL Rahul to find his run-scoring touch ahead of a busy schedule of nine Tests in four months, starting with Bangladesh in Kanpur today.
India won the first Test against Bangladesh in Chennai by 280 runs to lead the two-match series 1-0, with Rahul scoring 16 and 22 not out on his return to the side for the first time since January’s opening Test against England. He made 86 and 22 against England, but sat out the remaining four matches because of a thigh injury.
But the 32-year-old’s last century came in December 2023 and that was his first for almost three years. “I feel KL is someone who understands his game very well,” assistant coach Abhishek Nayar told reporters. “Yes, there are times where a player is finding his feet,” he added. “Hopefully we can have a turnaround in KL as well.”
India will play three Tests at home against New Zealand starting October 16. They then head off on a five-Test tour to Australia, with the opening match in Perth starting November 22.
Nayar noted that Rahul had shown glimpses of form during the first Test win against Bangladesh, when his 22 off 19 balls helped to set up a declaration. “The way he was batting in the second innings is the kind of cricket we are expecting and hoping for,” he said.
“I am pretty sure going forward you will see the expectations and the performances that you have from him.”
Nayar said India remain undecided on playing three spinners in second Test against Bangladesh as the nature of the pitch and overhead conditions on the morning of the match will influence the decision-making.
If India opts to play three spinners in Kanpur, the extra spinner could be either Axar Patel or Kuldeep Yadav. “To be honest, I don’t know which surface we are going to play on yet. Both the pitches look pretty good. Kanpur is often known to have good pitches. I am not sure about the bounce yet,” Nayar said. “With the conditions and the forecast, it is going to be interesting, when we turn up in the morning, how the conditions are. A lot will depend on that because as you know in Test wicket, conditions can be a huge factor in how the pitch plays.”