Gautam Gambhir gives straight forward advice to out-of-form KL Rahul ahead of Sri Lanka series

KL Rahul has had a torrid time with the bat and as a leader on a few occasions in the last few months. Apart from the two fifties, he hit during the 20-20 World Cup and one in Bangladesh, he has looked out of sorts. It has been seen that whenever the right-hander is given the captaincy responsibility, his performance with the bat worsens irrespective of the opposition.

Meanwhile, ahead of the white-ball series against Sri Lanka, Rahul’s vice-captaincy has been taken away from him in white-ball cricket as off now. The Bangalore player has been rested for the three-match T20I series. He has taken a break for his wedding and will return for the three-match ODI series that will follow. Meanwhile, Gautam Gambhir, Rahul’s mentor in the Indian T20 League has some advice for the latter.

Don’t worry about the things you can’t control: Gautam Gambhir

The Lucknow team’s mentor has advised Rahul that the latter must only think about doing well against the Lankan Lions. Gambhir added that if Rahul doesn’t do well, someone else will replace him.

“You can only control what you can control. You can’t control selectors, you can’t control what’s going to happen in the next series. You got three ODIs against Sri Lanka. If you play that, just be in the present. That’s all you can control. The moment you start to think about uncontrollable things, you’re putting undue pressure on yourself,” Gambhir said in Star Sports’ A Chat with Champions.

“If you don’t perform, someone else will take your position. That’s not only with Sanju or KL, it’s with Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma as well. If they don’t perform, you will start questioning about their positions too. That’s what international cricket is about. No one is indispensable. So you got three ODIs, you bat in the middle-order, try and get those runs, because ultimately it’s the performance that keeps you in the side. Not the name, not your talent,” Gambhir said.