KL Rahul seeks guidance from Indian greats to overcome team’s struggles against spin

India’s once-dominant reputation at home has come under scrutiny after consecutive tours by New Zealand and South Africa exposed unexpected vulnerabilities. Both visiting sides dismantled India’s long-standing fortress-like record, handing the hosts five defeats in five Test matches. The string of losses has highlighted several underlying issues within Gautam Gambhir’s squad, with one of the most glaring being the batting unit’s recent struggles against spin.

When stand-in ODI captain KL Rahul was asked about India’s sudden decline in proficiency against turning tracks, he admitted that there were no easy explanations. Speaking at a press conference, Rahul acknowledged that the team’s batting against spin has dipped noticeably in the last few series.

“I don’t have a clear answer,” Rahul said when questioned about the slump. “What I can say is that we haven’t played spin well for the past two or three series, and as batters, we know this is an area we need to improve.”

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Rahul added that the current generation is open to seeking guidance from former greats who mastered the art of playing spin. He specifically mentioned Sunil Gavaskar—widely regarded as one of the finest batters against spin—as someone the team could approach for insight and advice.

“We can talk to someone like Gavaskar sir and learn from him. We are already trying to figure out ways to improve against spin. It won’t change overnight, and I don’t know why we handled it better in the past than now. There are many factors involved. But we are committed to working on ourselves individually to get better,” Rahul noted.