India vs Bangladesh: KL Rahul's place in Test side questioned after Chennai failure

India vs Bangladesh, Chennai Test: KL Rahul squandered a good opportunity to play the crisis man's role for India on Day 1 of the first Test. Rahul was not proactive during his 52-ball stay in the middle. He was dismissed for 16 by off-spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz.

In Short

• KL Rahul was dismissed for 16 on Day 1 of the Chennai Test against Bangladesh
• Rahul struggled to be proactive during his 52-ball stay in the middle
• India were reduced to 176 for 6 at Tea on Thursday

Questions have been raised about KL Rahul's place in the Indian Test side after his early dismissal on Day 1 of the first Test between India and Bangladesh at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. A section of fans were quick to judge Rahul after a disappointing knock when India needed a senior batter to step up and stabilise the first innings. Rahul fell for 16 after a shaky stay of 52 deliveries in the middle.

KL Rahul was caught at short-leg by Zakir Hasan as Bangladesh's off-spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz took his first wicket of the day on a pitch that had a fair bit of green tinge. Rahul's approach was questioned as he did not look busy in the middle, failing to rotate the strike during is 48-run stand with Yashasvi Jaiswal, who hit his fifth Test fifty.

IND v BAN, 1st Test Day 1 Updates

India lost a well-set Rishabh Pant early in the second session and the scoring rate dipped with KL Rahul trying to survive rather than put the pressure back on the Bangladesh bowlers. Rahul did not look to unsettle Mehidy, who was happy bowling tidy overs against the senior campaigner.

A section of fans expressed their frustration at the Indian team management's decision to pick KL Rahul ahead of Sarfaraz Khan, who had impressed in the middle-order in his maiden Test series against England earlier this year. India did not have KL Rahul for the most part of that series as the Bengaluru batter was out with an injury. However, on his return to red-ball cricket, he got the nod ahead of Sarfaraz for the start of the home season in Chennai.

Sarfaraz Khan scored 200 runs in three Tests in his debut series against England. The Mumbai batter, who earned a call-up after scoring a truckload of runs in domestic cricket, played his natural game and was effective against spinners earlier in the year. Despite being picked in the 16-man squad, Sarfaraz was made to warm the benches in the opening Test.

KL Rahul looked in good shape against England in the only Test he played in the series, hitting 86 and 22 in Hyderabad. However, Rahul has consistently failed to deliver at crunch situations for India, averaging less than 35 after having played 50 Test matches for the senior national team.

India also had the option of playing Dhruv Jurel in the middle-order, but the team management backed the senior campaigner for the middle-order role.

India were in a spot of bother at Tea as they were reduced to 176 for 6 in 48 overs. Big guns, including Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, failed to trouble the scorers while Shubman Gill, batting at No. 3, fell for a duck.