Social Media Does Not Matter One Bit: Gautam Gambhir Backs KL Rahul Despite Poor Form

India head coach Gautam Gambhir has voiced support for under-pressure batter KL Rahul despite his struggles in the Bengaluru Test against New Zealand.

Rahul, who managed a duck and scored just 12 runs in the second Test of the series, is facing growing criticism, especially with Sarfaraz Khan staking a strong claim for a regular spot in India’s lower middle order.

New Zealand secured an eight-wicket victory in Bengaluru, taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. Sarfaraz, playing in place of Shubman Gill, scored a crucial century, further intensifying the competition for Rahul’s spot.

However, Gambhir dismissed the criticism on social media, stating, “Social media does not matter one bit. What the team management and leadership group think is what’s important. Rahul is batting well and had a decent knock in Kanpur (against Bangladesh) on a challenging wicket.”

Gambhir added, “He knows he needs to score big runs, and he’s capable. That’s why the team backs him. International cricket is all about being judged on your performances.“

India’s confidence, boosted by their strong home record, took a hit as New Zealand outplayed them in conditions favoring seam and swing bowling. Gambhir acknowledged that New Zealand was the better team in the first Test.

“Cricket is a great leveller. After our success in Kanpur, we had to face what happened in Bengaluru. We showed no intent to bat out the remaining two-and-a-half days,” Gambhir said.

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India collapsed for just 46 runs after opting to bat first at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. In reply, New Zealand amassed 462, with Rachin Ravindra scoring a memorable century.

Despite a better effort in the second innings, India couldn’t avoid defeat, marking New Zealand’s first Test win on Indian soil since 1988.

The second Test starts on Thursday in Pune.

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