{"id":257034,"date":"2025-03-11T23:11:02","date_gmt":"2025-03-11T23:11:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/2025\/03\/11\/champions-trophy-finisher-kl-rahul-delivers-at-the-perfect-moment-cricket-news-the-times-of-india\/"},"modified":"2025-03-11T23:11:03","modified_gmt":"2025-03-11T23:11:03","slug":"champions-trophy-finisher-kl-rahul-delivers-at-the-perfect-moment-cricket-news-the-times-of-india","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.talkwithrattan.com\/index.php\/2025\/03\/11\/champions-trophy-finisher-kl-rahul-delivers-at-the-perfect-moment-cricket-news-the-times-of-india\/","title":{"rendered":"Champions Trophy: Finisher KL Rahul delivers at the perfect moment | Cricket News – The Times of India"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Photo Source: @klrahul on X<\/span><\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

DUBAI: There are stars in the Indian team, and then there is KL Rahul<\/a>. Retaining his place in the XI at the expense of a player of Rishabh Pant\u2019s calibre, Rahul emerged as one of the biggest heroes of India\u2019s Champions Trophy<\/a> triumph.
In almost every match, barring the one against Pakistan where he didn\u2019t get to bat, Rahul delivered the perfect finishing act \u2014 41 off 47 balls against Bangladesh, 23 off 29 balls vs New Zealand, 42 off 34 balls against Australia in the semifinals and 34* off 33 balls in the final against New Zealand.
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A crucial improvement in Rahul\u2019s game was his approach against spin, using his feet effectively to attack bowlers. He demonstrated this in the final, dispatching New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner with authoritative strokes down the ground.
Rahul\u2019s rise was aided by the unwavering support of India\u2019s head coach, Gautam Gambhir. After the semifinal victory over Australia, when questioned about Pant\u2019s exclusion in favour of Rahul, Gambhir confidently responded, \u201cRahul\u2019s average in ODI cricket is 50 (it\u2019s 49.08). That\u2019s the answer.\u201d <\/p>\n

Praising Rahul\u2019s composure after the final, allrounder Hardik Pandya told the host broadcaster, \u201cBrilliant, calm, composed… he took his chances at the right time. That\u2019s who Rahul is. He has immense talent, and I don\u2019t think anyone can hit the ball as fluently as he does. Today was an exhibition of his class.\u201d
India captain Rohit Sharma also acknowledged Rahul\u2019s invaluable contributions, especially in pressure situations, saying, \u201cKL has been doing a lot of challenging work for the team for many years. I\u2019m very happy with how he performed in this tournament, especially under pressure in both the semifinal and the final. The contributions may not always be 70s or 80s, but those 30-40 runs are crucial. When chasing, it can get tough at the back end, but with KL at the crease, we know he keeps both himself and the dressing room calm. I\u2019m really happy with his contributions.\u201d <\/p>\n

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‘Not going anywhere’: Rohit Sharma on retirement from ODIs after winning the Champions Trophy<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

On his role as a wicketkeeper-batter, Rahul said: \u201cCricket is a team game, and my coaches have always taught me that you must do what the team requires. You need to accept that role and find ways to contribute. ICC victories don\u2019t come easy\u2014this is my first, and I\u2019m over the moon.\u201d <\/p>\n


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