Netizens are having fun at India opener KL Rahul's expense despite his return to form against Bangladesh in a Group 2 fixture at the Adelaide Oval on Wednesday.

Though KL Rahul played a blistering knock of 50 off 32 deliveries, social media users still posted jokes and memes – while some praised him for his whirlwind innings, others hit out at his critics who were calling his ouster from the Rohit Sharma-led side.

 

Before his explosive knock against Shakib Al Hasan‘s side, KL Rahul had registered scores of 4, 9, and 9 in the previous three matches of the T20 World Cup.

His string of poor scores in the competition led several experts, including Wasim Jaffer to question his place in the Indian team's playing XI.

Against Bangladesh, KL Rahul started his innings with a bit of caution before launching a full-blown attack on their bowlers during the latter half of his knock. Overall, he hammered six boundaries and 4 sixes during his outing at the Adelaide Oval.

After India's win against the Bangla Tigers, KL Rahul revealed that he had a long chat with Virat Kohli on the eve of the Bangladesh encounter that helped him in staying in a positive frame of mind in Adelaide.

“We were actually just discussing how Australian conditions have been a little different this time. We have come here before and played Test cricket and we expected the wickets to play in a certain way and that's not happened so far and it's been more challenging than our previous tour. We were just talking about that thing,” KL Rahul said about his discussions with Virat Kohli.

“We were discussing the mindset and what we can do in the middle. I was seeing if I can use something that he says in the middle, and if we can help each other. Those are the discussions that we all have as players. Obviously, he has been doing really well in the last few games and I was trying to understand his mindset and what he is thinking while he is in the middle. Just about that,” the India vice-captain added.

“I was a bit disappointed that I was not able to contribute for the team in the first 3 matches. I don't get frustrated, I didn't feel like my form or my confidence was low. I just didn't get runs and it happens in the game. If you are feeling confident, a good innings will come. I knew in my heart that I was seeing the ball well, I knew that a good knock and a good contribution to the team was coming,” KL Rahul mentioned.

“And yeah I was still relaxed. I have always tried to be as balanced as I can as a person whether I do well, whether I don't do well. I try to judge myself on whether my mindset is right or whether I am trying to do the role and responsibility that the team expects me to do. If I think I am doing that well, I can go to sleep peacefully.”

“The support staff has been really supportive. The captain has always backed his players. And you can see that. That's why players – even when we have had a couple of tough innings – we find a way to come back and do well for the team. It is something you work on as a team. There are things you work on as an individual that help you but these are things that as a team you work on. The support staff, the coach, the captain, when they show confidence and faith in you, it gives you that confidence as a player that you will get the backing if you are going in the right direction,” KL Rahul stated.

Before the Bangladesh game, former England spinner Graeme Swann termed KL Rahul as a “potential superstar in the T20 World Cup final” before stressing that the Indian team management need to back the opener because once he's back among the runs, he would be a different player altogether.

Luckily for India, KL Rahul roared back to form with a masterclass against Bangladesh.

“I don't think there is, I think he's just out of form, he looked like he was getting back in form at Perth when he smashed one out of the ground but then he ran one down to slip. So, it's just a batsman who's trying to play the ball too late at the minute. He needs to get on the front foot more, hit the ball and really watch the ball hard. You definitely can't drop him, KL Rahul is a potential superstar in the World Cup final,” Graeme Swann told Star Sports.