KL Rahul Confident Shami and Rohit Will Be Fit for New Zealand Clash
KL Rahul has expressed optimism that Mohammed Shami and Rohit Sharma will be fit and ready for India’s final Champions Trophy group game against New Zealand in Dubai on Sunday. Both players faced minor health issues during the previous match against Pakistan, with Shami not bowling due to a shin problem and Rohit showing signs of strain in his hamstring. "I don’t know too much but from whatever I know, everything seems pretty okay," Rahul said on Friday. "There’s no real concern about anyone missing games as far as I know. Everyone’s been in the gym and at training, so any previous concerns have been addressed but I don’t think it’s too much."
Preparing for a Crucial Semi-Final
India, along with New Zealand, has already secured a spot in the semi-finals, which will take place on March 4, just two days after the New Zealand match. With this short turnaround, there might be a temptation to rest some players. However, Rahul, while not in the leadership group, acknowledged the team’s history of using such opportunities to try out new players. "We have been in these positions before where, if there is an opportunity, you can try out the players who haven’t gotten games," he said. "But I don’t know if that will happen in a Champions Trophy. We have a six-day break now, but we only have one day’s break before the semi-finals. So, we probably want all the players to play the game and get a little bit of time in the middle."
Rahul’s Role and Performance
KL Rahul has been a versatile player for India, contributing both with the bat and behind the stumps. In the first game against Bangladesh, he made an invaluable 41 not out off 47 balls from No. 6, securing a victory in a challenging chase of 229 on a slow Dubai pitch. Rahul expects the conditions to remain difficult for batting. "The wicket is slow, and any new batter finds it very difficult to rotate the strike," he said. "The pace of the wicket is different from the England series we played. It takes a little bit of time to get used to it. But the good thing is we have played in Dubai before, and we were mentally prepared. We came here a week early, and our practice sessions have been on similar wickets, giving us the time to adapt."
The Pressure of Keeping Wickets
Rahul, who has taken over the gloves from Rishabh Pant in ODIs, admitted that the pressure is significant but does not alter his approach to the game. "There is pressure – I won’t lie. Rishabh is a very talented player, and he has shown us what he can do," Rahul said. "There’s always the temptation for the team to play him or me. But for me, if I’m given the opportunity, I try to do what I can do best. I am not trying to compete with Rishabh or play like him. When he gets his opportunities, I am sure he will not try to play like anybody else. He is picked on the basis of how he can play and what he can provide for the team, and the same applies to me. So, I try to do what I do best and stick to my game."
Praising Mohammed Shami
Rahul also had high praise for Shami, highlighting his accuracy and sharpness. "Funnily, somehow, in every game he’ll make sure that I’m diving full-length," Rahul joked. "He gives me one or two opportunities to be brilliant behind the stumps or look stupid sometimes. With wicketkeeping, I think he’s one of the few bowlers whose ball really wobbles. Him and sometimes Bumrah in the second or third spell. It’s very challenging. And yeah, Shami is very accurate. That’s something that not many people talk about. Everyone talks about how he’s gifted and how he can get the ball to seam in any condition and how upright his seam is. But not many people talk about how accurate he is and how sharp he is. He can surprise you with his pace. Just the other day in the nets, he hit me straight in the helmet badge. All of these things make him a very difficult bowler to play against. Really happy to have him back and I think he’s very close to his best."
Looking Forward to the New Zealand Match
With the team focused and well-prepared, India looks forward to their crucial match against New Zealand. Rahul’s confidence in the fitness of key players and the team’s adaptability to challenging conditions bodes well for their semi-final aspirations. "We are mentally and physically prepared," he concluded. "We know what we need to do, and we will give our best to secure a strong position going into the semi-finals."
