KL Rahul, the captain of the Indian ODI team for the South Africa tour, has made it clear that the emerging talents in the squad won't be burdened with replicating the roles of stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in the upcoming three-match ODI series against South Africa.
With key players like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Shubman Gill absent, the spotlight shifts to promising youngsters like Ruturaj Gaikwad, Tilak Varma, Rajat Patidar, and Sai Sudharsan.
Rahul, leading the team in the absence of Rohit Sharma, stressed the importance of allowing the young players time to adjust to the international level. "To expect them to play the role that Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli played in the World Cup will be too early. You have to give them time and make them feel comfortable. There’s no added pressure from my side," Rahul mentioned during the pre-match press conference.
Recognizing the challenge at hand, Rahul expressed confidence in the ability of the newcomers to quickly adapt to the South African conditions and make a significant impact in the series. "We need to focus on what’s in front of us. Playing in the World Cup was really exciting, but we need to figure out what works for us here in these conditions and try and adapt. That is what we are looking forward to doing. I trust the players and expect them to do the job for their team," he added.
The series opener is scheduled to take place on Sunday at the New Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg. India enters the series with confidence following their recent 106-run victory against South Africa at the same venue in Johannesburg, marking their largest win against the Proteas.
(With Agency Inputs)
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