Scott Boland Eyes KL Rahul's Weakness Ahead of Border-Gavaskar Trophy
Rahul's recent form has been underwhelming. He was dropped from India's playing XI after the first Test against New Zealand in Bengaluru, where he scored 0 and 12, continuing a lean run with just two fifties in his last nine innings across series against South Africa, England, Bangladesh, and New Zealand.
Australian pacer Scott Boland has set his sights on KL Rahul as the two prepare to face off in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Rahul, who flew early to Australia along with wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel to play for India A in the four-day match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), will be looking to get back to form after a tough period with the bat.
Boland, who bowled to Rahul during a Test match in India a few years ago, is eager to test the Indian batter in Australian conditions. Speaking to ESPNCricinfo, Boland said, “I was lucky to bowl to him in a Test over in India a couple of years ago, but it'll be nice to play against him in our backyard.” Rahul, who scored a century on his debut tour to Australia in 2015, has struggled with consistency on Australian soil, with an average of just 20.77 across four Tests.
Despite Rahul's impressive debut century at Sydney, Boland is confident that the Australian bowlers can capitalize on Rahul’s recent struggles. “He's a world-class player but someone I think we can get on top of pretty early and hopefully stay on top of him for the majority of the summer,” Boland added.
Rahul's recent form has been underwhelming. He was dropped from India's playing XI after the first Test against New Zealand in Bengaluru, where he scored 0 and 12, continuing a lean run with just two fifties in his last nine innings across series against South Africa, England, Bangladesh, and New Zealand.
However, Rahul could be reinstated to the Indian team if captain Rohit Sharma misses the first Test against Australia in Perth, which starts on November 22, due to personal reasons.
Boland also commented on India’s recent 0-3 loss to New Zealand, acknowledging the team’s struggles but remaining cautious, noting that India has enough experience to bounce back. He pointed out the stark contrast in conditions between India and Australia: “There’s so much more bounce here, more seam. The way they’ll structure their team (in Australia) will be completely different to what you see over in India.”
