“They were probably the negative out of this series” – Wasim Jaffer on Virat Kohli and KL Rahul

Former India player Wasim Jaffer has questioned Virat Kohli and KL Rahul’s performances after their below-par outing in the two-Test series against Bangladesh. Rahul scored 57 runs in four innings, while Kohli made only 45 runs in four outings, including an unbeaten 19, in the series.

Speaking on ESPNCricinfo, Jaffer said:

“KL Rahul had a pretty ordinary series, and so is Virat Kohli. I thought they were probably the negative out of this series.”

The veteran also criticised India’s defensive approach during their fourth innings while chasing a target of 145.

He said:

“I don’t remember the last time India were 200-2. Not pretty much in the recent past. I don’t remember when out of the top 4, two of them got a hundred. So, that is something India need to work on. The approach was pretty defensive when they came out to bat in the second innings.”

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“That’s a concern going forward” – Jaffer believes India heavily reliant on Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant

Jaffer added that Team India are heavily reliant on Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant for quite some time. He feels that the top order has failed to deliver in the last few games.

He said:

“Without a doubt (undroppable player). He has only played a handful of Test matches. Every time he’s come into bat, India is under pressure. He, Ravindra Jadeja, and Rishabh Pant. He’s played some amazing knocks as well. That has happened quite a few times."

"Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant especially have bailed them out far too many times. That’s a concern going forward.”

Chasing 145, Iyer scored an unbeaten 29 in the second innings. He shared a crucial partnership with Ravichandran Ashwin (42*) for the eighth wicket to bail the team out from a precarious 74-7. He had earlier contributed 86 and 87 in his previous two innings in Bangladesh.

Meanwhile, Pant scored a crucial 93 in the first innings of the Mirpur Test.