Indian batter KL Rahul took a jibe at Rohit Sharma’s selfless approach and backed Virat Kohli as he addressed the criticism and trolling that he faced for being selfish to get a hundred during a group match of the ICC World Cup 2023 against Australia in Chennai.
The 2023 ICC World Cup clash between India and Australia in Chennai witnessed one of the most memorable comebacks in recent Indian cricket history and one of its most debated reactions. Chasing 200, India had a disastrous start at 2 for 3 within just two overs.
KL Rahul breaks silence on ‘Selfish’ tag; takes subtle dig at Rohit Sharma
But KL Rahul and Virat Kohli rebuilt the innings with grit and class, leading India to a stunning 6-wicket victory over Australia with 52 balls to spare in Chennai. Rahul’s unbeaten 97 off 115 balls, laced with 8 fours and 2 sixes, was a masterclass in composure under pressure.
The Karnataka batter stitched a match-winning 165-run partnership with Kohli, who scored a brilliant 85 against Australia. As the chase entered the 42nd over, Rahul stood on 91, with India needing only five more runs to win. To reach his century, the right-handed batter needed to find a boundary and a six, and he clearly had that in mind.
Rewind of KL Rahul’s heartbreak at the 2023 ICC World Cup
But when he played a crisp cover drive with perfect timing, the ball flew all the way over the ropes for a six. The shot sealed India’s victory in style, yet it also denied Rahul a well-deserved century, leaving him unbeaten on 97. And then the right-hander’s immediate reaction said it all.
His visible disappointment after the winning shot drew mixed emotions from fans. Some sympathized with him for missing a milestone by just three runs; others slammed Rahul while highlighting Rohit Sharma’s famously selfless attitude and team-first mindset.
Interestingly, Rahul had gotten the backing from Virat Kohli to reach milestones in that situation, and now he indirectly hailed his former captain’s approach, as the latter didn’t even let such an opportunity slip away either. He explained that while winning always comes first, players naturally think about reaching personal milestones once the victory is certain.
Who doesn’t want a World Cup 100?: KL Rahul
KL Rahul told Taran Deep and Shubham Gaur on their YouTube channel “2 Sloggers”: “I had seen that someone had commented that we won the match, but it was so selfish that he was worried about the 100. See, winning a match is the most important thing, and all of us do that.”
Rahul shared that India only needed a few runs with plenty of wickets in hand, so he aimed to complete both the win and his hundred. He explained, “But if you get to a situation when winning is inevitable, you need 5 runs, 6 wickets, and a lot of overs; you are going to win.”
He signed off by saying, “I think I, or any player in that scenario, if he’s worked hard, deserve to try to get to a milestone if it’s possible. And that is what I was calculating, and I tried to hit it for a 4. We needed 5 runs. If I hit a 4 and then I hit a 6, then I could have gotten to that 100, and who doesn’t want a World Cup 100?”