"KL Rahul should be the most disappointed" - Saba Karim on opener's dismissal in ENG vs IND 2025 4th Test

Former India player Saba Karim has opined that KL Rahul must be the most disappointed Indian batter after Day 1 of the fourth Test against England. He noted that the only mistake the opener committed led to his dismissal.

Rahul scored 46 runs off 98 balls in India's first innings of the fourth Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. The visitors ended Day 1 (Wednesday, July 23) at 264/4, with Ravindra Jadeja (19* off 37) and Shardul Thakur (19* off 36) unbeaten at the crease.

During a discussion on Sony Sports, Saba noted that Rahul played virtually a faultless knock and fell prey to the only error he made.

"It has been a magnificent series for him. I feel the knock he played today (Wednesday), KL Rahul should be the most disappointed. The ability to pick length was seen once again. He looked fully confident. He made just one mistake, and he got out to that ball. It was the only ball he tried to play slightly away from his body," he said.

While observing that Chris Woakes deceived Rahul with late movement, the former India wicketkeeper-batter added that the Karnataka player lent much-needed solidity to the visitors' innings.

"He didn't allow the ball to come close to his body. Generally, the balls he defended and the front-foot drives he hit, he played all of them quite late. Chris Woakes got a little late movement on that ball, because of which KL Rahul's wicket fell, but it was a solid knock once again, which the Indian team needed," Saba observed.

KL Rahul struck four fours during his 46-run knock. He was caught by Zak Crawley at third slip off Chris Woakes' bowling.

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"He has been the most solid and consistent batter" - Ajay Jadeja on KL Rahul

KL Rahul is the third-highest run-getter in the ongoing Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. [P/C: Getty]

In a separate discussion on Sony Sports, former India captain Ajay Jadeja opined that KL Rahul has been the visitors' most reliable batter in the ongoing series against England.

"He has been the most solid and consistent batter. He is behind two or three players in terms of numbers, but there has been just an odd knock where he has gotten out at the start. He even played a pull shot at the start, and we also saw the cut shot," he said.

The former India all-rounder added that Rahul's slightly aggressive approach at the start of the innings allowed Yashasvi Jaiswal (58 off 107) to take his time during their 94-run opening partnership.

"The way Jaiswal played, either someone had spoken to him or he had thought something. If both batters bat defensively, it becomes easy for the bowlers. So he (Rahul) added another chapter with his knock. (Shubman) Gill has scored the most runs, but Rahul has been the most solid Indian batter for me," Jadeja observed.

KL Rahul has amassed 421 runs at an average of 60.14 in seven innings in the ongoing Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. Only Shubman Gill (619) and Rishabh Pant (462) have scored more runs than him in the series thus far.