Fri Sep 20 07:46:57 UTC 2024: ## Manjrekar Criticizes KL Rahul’s Temperament After Disappointing Chennai Test Innings
**Chennai, India:** Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has expressed disappointment over KL Rahul’s performance in the first Test against Bangladesh in Chennai, highlighting a recurring temperament issue that plagues the middle-order batter.
Rahul, despite a recent century in South Africa and an 80 against England, struggled to score runs, falling to Mehidy Hasan Miraz for just 16 runs off 52 balls. Manjrekar, commenting on Rahul’s innings, suggested it lacked purpose and highlighted his inconsistent form.
“It is amazing that he plays a brilliant innings at the Test level and the next two to three innings, it seems like he has got a pair in the last Test. Even when you saw him bat today, it almost seemed an inning without purpose,” Manjrekar said.
The former batsman pointed out that Rahul’s temperament has been a recurring issue throughout his Test career, citing his average of 34 with a few hundreds in challenging conditions. “That is more of a temperamental problem with KL Rahul that has plagued him for 50 Test matches because the numbers that he has, while he has got some brilliant hundreds, an average of 34 with quite a few 100s in testing conditions tells you about his temperament,” Manjrekar added.
Despite Rahul’s struggles, India managed to reach 339/6 at the end of the first day, thanks to an unbeaten 195-run partnership between Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja. Bangladesh, who won the toss and opted to bowl, were led by Hasan Mahmud’s four-wicket haul that dismantled India’s top order.
First Piper 