“When you don’t score runs in India, obviously you will get flak. KL Rahul hasn’t been the only one. There have been players in the past also,” Ganguly told PTI on the sidelines of a Delhi Capitals pre-season camp. “There’s so much focus and attention with lot of pressure on players. The team management thinks he is an important player for the team. At the end of the day, what coach and captain thinks is important.”
“He has performed [over the years] but obviously you expect a lot more from a top-order batter playing for India because the standards set by others are so high,” Ganguly said. “When you fail for a while, obviously there will be criticism. I am sure Rahul has ability and I am sure as and when he gets more opportunities, he will have to find ways to score.”
When asked whether Rahul’s problems were technical or psychological, Ganguly said, “Both.”
“It also makes it hard if you are playing on these sort of pitches as the balls are turning and bouncing,” Ganguly said of Rahul’s struggles. “There’s uneven bounce and when you are not in form, it makes it even more harder.”
Shubman Gill ‘has to wait’ – Sourav Ganguly
While Rahul has struggled, Gill, who has been in red-hot form in white-ball cricket in the recent past and has an average of 32 from 13 Tests, the last of them in December last year, has sat out. Ganguly suggested that Gill would have to wait his turn.
“I am sure when his time comes, he will also get a lot of opportunities,” Ganguly said. “I think the selectors, the captain and the coach think of him and rate him very highly. That’s why he is playing ODIs and T20Is, and he has performed as well.
“But at the present moment, perhaps message from team management is that he has to wait.”
“These are very tough wickets. I saw in the first two Tests and it’s not easy, boss,” Ganguly said. “Playing Ashwin, Jadeja, Lyon and the new guy, Todd Murphy, it is never easy with odd ball turning square. There is unevenness, there is everything happening for spinners.”