"You had gotten set by then" - Irfan Pathan on KL Rahul's 'disappointing' dismissal in ENG vs IND 2025 1st Test

Former India player Irfan Pathan has expressed disappointment over KL Rahul's dismissal in the first Test against England. He pointed out that the opener had gotten set and lost his wicket to a 'flashy' shot, which isn't his forte.

Rahul scored 42 runs off 78 deliveries on Day 1 of the first Test against England in Leeds on Friday, June 20. Although the Karnataka batter couldn't convert his start into a substantial effort, Yashasvi Jaiswal (101 off 159) and Shubman Gill's (127* off 175) centuries helped the visitors end the day at 359/3.

During a discussion on Sony Sports, Pathan noted that Rahul and Jaiswal had given India an excellent start before the former virtually threw his wicket away with an unwarranted shot.

"The Indian openers added more than 50 runs in Headingley for the first time in 39 years. So, India wouldn't have expected a better start than that. However, the two wickets that fell (in the first session), I will be slightly more disappointed with KL Rahul because playing flashy shots is not his strength," he said. "He played flashy shots twice or thrice, the ball went in the air, and he could have gotten out there. When the wicket fell, you had gotten set by then. You had already stitched together a 91-run partnership, you had made the ball old, and downed their spirits," the former India all-rounder added.

Pathan added that it would have been acceptable had Jaiswal gotten out playing such a shot.

"It was time to cash in. This was a flashy shot. It's understandable if Yashasvi Jaiswal had gotten out playing that shot because that's his strength. This is not KL Rahul's strength. You need to take responsibility as an opener slightly longer," he observed.

KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal stitched together a 91-run opening partnership. The right-handed opener then tried to drive a Brydon Carse delivery that was well outside the off-stump and only managed to edge it to Joe Root at first slip.

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"His foot didn't go that far forward" - RP Singh on KL Rahul's dismissal in ENG vs IND 2025 1st Test

KL Rahul lost his wicket an over before Lunch. [P/C: Getty]

In the same discussion, former India pacer RP Singh noted that KL Rahul had played some flowing drives, but didn't reach the pitch of the ball to which he got dismissed.

"It seemed like he was knocking, as though someone was bowling underarm, and he was just timing them. That's why whenever he had to take a small stride close to the off-stump, he timed the ball well, but this ball was slightly away, and his foot didn't go that far forward," he said.

The cricketer-turned-commentator added that the opener potentially fell prey to greed.

"As Irfan was discussing, he played a flashy shot that went over point. The partnership was good, but in Test matches, you feel you should dominate when you are in total control, and at times, some balls come where you feel you erred. Greed is a bad thing," Singh observed.

India lost Sai Sudharsan's (0 off 4) wicket in the over following KL Rahul's dismissal. However, Shubman Gill then stitched century partnerships with Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rishabh Pant (65* off 102) to take India to a seemingly comfortable position.

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Edited by Kartik Iyer