NEWS
Follow UsDespite missing stars such as Rohit Sharma, Mohammed Shami and Ravindra Jadeja, India were favourites going into the three-match ODI series against South Africa. However, they were swept aside by a dominant South African team at home, handing India their second ODI series whitewash in as many years.
KL Rahul, who stood in as the skipper in Rohit’s absence, called for a transformation in India’s white-ball cricket. The 29-year-old also insisted that the series came with massive learnings for the national team, while calling the Men in Blue as a “work in progress”.
"I feel like we've played some really good cricket over the last four or five years, but it is also time for a little bit of… for us to get better and transform our white-ball cricket. And that's been the chat. I don't use that an excuse for not winning, but we are a work in progress as a team,” Rahul told India Today.
"There were massive learnings. We are at a stage right now where we have World Cups as the focus. We are working towards certain things. We are working towards getting better as a team and learning,” he added.
India’s trashing loss also raised questions on Rahul’s leadership abilities. But the Indian opener dismissed the questions, stating that he is quite confident in his leadership skills.
"I am quite confident in my leadership skills and I know that I can bring the best out of the players and I know I can do the job for the team, for the country, for my franchise," he said.
"I am not someone who judges myself based on the results. There are certain boxes that I need to tick as a leader and if I am doing all of those things and if my team is happy with how I am leading them, that's the most important thing,” he added.
Following the footsteps of the previous Indian skippers, Rahul stressed on the importance of the process and not just the results. Alongside that, the 29-year-old opined that the best is yet to come.
"And that's what matters to me. And I know eventually the results will follow as well and the success will stay there for longer. I'd rather have a longer run as a successful captain and leader, than start off with something big and then go downwards. Fingers crossed. Hopefully, the best is yet to come."
India’s next assignment in white-ball cricket is against West Indies, at home, where they play three ODIs and as many T20Is.