KL Rahul walks towards the pavilion after being dismissed by Bangladesh's Mehidy Hasan Miraz on the first day.
Credit: PTI Photo
Blinding streaks of brilliance interspersed with gloomy barrenness often wrap K L Rahul's Test career as India's first Test match against Bangladesh showed in summarised manner, the middle-order batter's inconsistency.
Opinions about Rahul often oscillate between good and bad. Some think he is a multi-faceted cricketer who can fulfil many roles while others may feel he is a tad fortunate to have played 50 Tests.
In the first innings of India on Day 1, when India was struggling at 86-4, it was the perfect opportunity for the 32-year-old to prove his mettle in Test cricket.
However, after getting a positive start, he was eventually dismissed by Mehidy Hasan Miraz, caught at short leg, raising similar concerns about him in the longest format of the game.
In some respite, the Bengaluru man remained unbeaten on 22 from 19 balls in the second innings, looking more assured at the crease.
Former cricketer and Indian coach, Ravi Shastri, who has worked with Rahul in the past, said that Rahul needs to stop letting the opportunities coming his way go to waste and address his potential.
The famed Indian coach, while commentating on-air, said, "K L Rahul needs to realise that he has got much of talent. The day he realises that and comes out with a mindset and thinking in that fashion, he will be a different player."
Meanwhile, dominant India defeated Bangladesh in the first test at Chennai by 280 runs. After Pant and Gill's exploits with the bat in the second innings, senior off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin completed a memorable all-round outing with a six-wicket haul as India crushed the visitors with more than five sessions to spare.
First-inning centurion Ashwin (6/88) did the bulk of the damage, while Ravindra Jadeja picked up 3/58.
Skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto top-scored for Bangladesh with an 82 off 127 balls.
The second Test will be played in Kanpur from September 27.