“Always That Temptation…”: KL Rahul Opens Up About Playing Ahead of Rishabh Pant

India’s first-choice wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul admitted he feels the pressure of Rishabh Pant breathing down his neck while waiting for his opportunity. With a player like Pant on the bench, Rahul acknowledged there is always a “temptation” to play either him or the explosive southpaw. India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir and his regime’s decision to prefer Rahul over Pant has divided opinions among fans and former cricketers. While some have welcomed the management’s decision to keep Rahul in the ODI setup, others have argued in favor of Pant, citing his impact in the limited-overs format.

Rahul broke his silence about playing ahead of Pant, admitting the factor of performance pressure. The experienced batter isn’t trying to compete with Pant but aims to perform his best and stick to his game.

“There is – I won’t lie. I mean, he’s obviously a very, very talented player and he’s shown all of us what he can do, and how aggressive and how quickly he can change the game. So yes, there’s always the temptation for the team as well, whoever’s the captain, the coach to – there’s always that temptation to either play him or play me,” Rahul said in a press conference on Friday.

“There’s always that. But yeah, for me, I just if I’m given the opportunity, I try and see what I can do best. I am not trying to compete with Rishabh, or I am not trying to play like him, or when he gets his opportunities, I am sure he is not going to 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 and do what I do best and try and stick to my game,” he added.

In the ongoing Champions Trophy, Rahul has embraced his role as a wicketkeeper-batter. In the Champions Trophy opener against Bangladesh, he continued his red-hot form with a composed 41* from 47 deliveries, including one four and two towering sixes.