Tamim Iqbal Stands Up for KL Rahul
When a player like KL Rahul faces a tough patch, the noise from fans and experts in India can get pretty loud. Lately, Rahul has been at the center of the storm. He’s struggled to translate starts into significant scores, especially in major tournaments such as the Champions Trophy and the Test series against New Zealand. These incomplete innings—often falling between 20 and 40 runs—have triggered strong calls for his exclusion from the Indian setup. Alongside frustrated social media commentary, several cricket analysts have pointed out his supposed failure to lock down a role despite his talent and versatility as an opener, middle-order bat, and wicketkeeper.
But not everyone is ready to write him off. Bangladesh opener Tamim Iqbal, an experienced campaigner who knows a fair bit about pressure, offered a different perspective. In his words, it isn’t fair to judge a player by a handful of bad matches. "Every cricketer goes through ups and downs, and consistency is built over time," Iqbal said in a candid interview. He made it clear that the cycle of selection and dropping doesn’t let a player build confidence or properly establish themselves in the team structure.
The Weight of Expectations and Selector Decisions
Rahul’s advocates argue that his journey in the Indian side has been disrupted by inconsistent treatment. He’s often been shuffled up and down the order, or given new responsibilities behind the stumps, only to find himself benched after a couple of lackluster outings. That’s the kind of stop-start experience that erodes a player’s rhythm, Tamim believes. "Team management needs to back players during tough phases instead of making knee-jerk reactions," he insisted. Cricket, after all, never hands out fairytale scripts. Even legends have endured periods when everything seemed to go wrong.
Iqbal's message actually resonates with plenty of former competitors, who recall their own struggles under the spotlight. A string of single-digit scores or a couple of sloppy dismissals might see you pilloried in the press, but those who have played at the top know that confidence waxes and wanes. A high-pressure role like Rahul’s—balancing wicketkeeping with flexible batting slots—can make things even trickier. Mental fatigue, the constant chatter about your place, and unclear communication from selectors all get into a cricketer’s head.
Despite the clamor, Tamim isn’t sounding the alarm. Instead, he urges for patience and a long-term outlook. He’s certain Rahul still has plenty to offer, as long as he gets the kind of steady backing that allows a player to rediscover their rhythm. That means selectors and fans alike need to resist the urge to overreact after a bad series or two. Cricket history is full of players who bloomed after extended faith from team management. If Rahul is to be the backbone India needs in crunch situations, it’ll take more belief and less reactive chopping from the powers that be.
