India’s thrilling victory at Edgbaston has reignited the five-match Test series against England with the score now locked at 1-1.
As attention shifts to the third Test at Lord’s, one name that has caught the eye of experts is KL Rahul. Former England opener and current commentator Mark Butcher has shared strong praise for Rahul, backing him to make a big impact in the rest of the series.
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Rahul, who has adapted to various roles in the Indian batting line-up over the last couple of years, now finds himself back at the top following Rohit Sharma’s retirement.
With Jaiswal opening alongside him, the pair has shown early signs of stability. And if Butcher’s words are anything to go by, Rahul could be on the verge of a defining stretch in red-ball cricket.
Mark Butcher on KL Rahul’s technique, form ahead of IND vs ENG 3rd Test
Mark Butcher, speaking during a discussion ahead of the third Test, was full of admiration for Rahul’s technique and strokeplay.
He pointed back to Rahul’s performances during the 2021 England tour and highlighted how natural he looks as an opener in English conditions. He also noted that Rahul is “a joy to watch” and someone who deserves a proper run in one position.
"Every time I've seen KL play, so we go back to the 2021 series here in England, and he batted at the top of the order with Rohit," said Butcher.
"So technically, he just looks very, very suited to top-order batting, really. And the fact that he's now going to have a long run, hopefully, in that position, his average will go upwards of 40 very, very quickly because technically he's fabulous. He's a great player to watch. I really love watching him bat," he added.
The third match of the India-England series will begin on July 10 at the Lord’s Cricket Ground in London, with the start time set for 3:30 PM IST.
The series, now tied 1-1, is very much alive, and both teams will be eager to gain the upper hand.