Watch: KL Rahul Fights Whole SA Team Single-Handedly & Shows He’s Not To Be Messed With

In the last year, KL Rahul has become one of the most valuable players for Team India across all three formats of the game. 

He has produced several match-winning performances in red-ball cricket in the last 12 months and established himself as one of the key members of India’s batting line-up, especially with other senior players going through a horrible lean patch.

Whenever he has scored big, the Men in Blue have more often than not ended up on the right side of the result which makes his contribution all the more crucial. 

The Karnataka opener knows how valuable his wicket is and that’s why every time he walks out to bat he puts a huge price on his wicket and doesn’t like getting out cheaply.

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And naturally, whenever he fails to provide the side with a solid start, he is not happy with himself.  

Taking over India’s leadership role in regular skipper Virat Kohli’s absence, the 29-year-old opener scored a crucial half-century in the first but failed to replicate the same success on a Day 2 pitch, getting out for mere eight runs. 

Unlike Kohli, Rahul is known for his cool and calm demeanour but on the third day of the second Test he showed that while he wasn’t a big fan of talking too much and he sure knows how to give it back to the opposition if poked. 

Rahul and Elgar have an exchange. Not a pleasant one by the looks of it #INDvSA pic.twitter.com/whSm16T8gv

— Benaam Baadshah (@BenaamBaadshah4) January 4, 2022

As he was walking back to the pavilion after being dismissed, the Indian skipper was involved in a brief verbal exchange with the opposition skipper Dean Elgar. The right-handed batter was perhaps not happy with some of the words that were dished out at him from South Africa’s team huddle while he was marching back towards the dressing room. 

Rahul, who was already upset by the dismissal, got further infuriated by their comments and he exchanged a few words with Elgar.  

The visuals of this verbal exchange became a huge talking point on social media, with fans taking sides based on their respective allegiance. 

Some exchange of words here.. pic.twitter.com/cEVruiGNEI

— Kanav Bali (@Concussion__Sub) January 4, 2022

It’s hard to say for sure what pissed off the Indian skipper so much that he decided to respond but fans believe it had something to do with what had happened earlier in the day. 

Van der Dussen’s catch didn’t carry, but I wouldn’t blame Pant to claim it, he has every right to, Erasmus must be blamed here the most, Umpiring standards have dropped considerably pic.twitter.com/KmbXmosvGS

— ArnavTalksCricket (@TweetsByArnav) January 4, 2022

During the Proteas first innings, Rassie Van der Dussen was dismissed in a controversial fashion right at the stroke of lunch but he walked back to the pavilion without lodging any complaint. The replay showed that it was a rather close caught behind chance but the on-field umpire ruled in India’s favour.  

It led to a huge debate on social media as people started taking sides. 

#IndvSA KL Rahul OUT!! 3rd umpire checked the catch.. Zoomer didn’t come up.. From long shot it looked fingers underneath..

After being given out, some heated exchange of words between Elgar and Rahul.. Rahul kept on replying as he went off.. All heating up at the bull ring.. pic.twitter.com/O3wdyHldnM

— Anurag Sinha (@anuragsinha1992) January 4, 2022

That catch against #KLRahul was not at all clean. Can’t remember the last time i saw such partial and biased umpiring as well as commentating. #MikeHaysman seriously needs a life and stop cribbing about every decision that goes against SA. #INDvSA

— saurabh sharma (@Ad_Carpe_Vinum) January 4, 2022

#KLRahul must have told the South African players that the whole nation will be ashamed of them for claiming that catch against him. Absolutely disgusting on their part to wrongly claim his wicket.#INDvsSA #testcricket #ICC #BCCI

— Rockyfficial aka MrNobody (@Rockyfficial) January 4, 2022 

Just like Van der Dussen, Rahul was also adjudged out by the on-field match official but unlike the South Africa batter, the Indian captain held his crease, forcing the umpires to go upstairs with a soft signal of ‘OUT’. 

After taking a close look at replays from all possible angles, the TV umpire couldn’t find any conclusive evidence to overturn the original decision and Rahul was handed his marching orders. 

FIFTY!

A gritty half-century from @klrahul11

This is his 13th in Tests.

LIVE – https://t.co/TIfO06B6x8 #SAvIND pic.twitter.com/jGya9EeTQl

— BCCI (@BCCI) January 3, 2022

Delighted with the prized scalp, the hosts formed a team huddle and perhaps said something about the two similar dismissals and how it was tackled differently by both individuals. 

First of all, Van der Dussen walked off because his back was towards the bowler and he was oblivious to the fact that the catch wasn’t completed cleanly. So, he had no option but to leave the field.  

Rahul, on the other hand, saw the ball going towards the second slip and was not sure if he had taken it cleanly. So, he was perfectly within his rights to ask the umpire to use the technology. 

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Rather than questioning Rahul’s action, it would be better if the South Africans taught their players to put more price on their wicket and stand up for their own sake.