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Former India captain Kapil Dev looked utterly disappointed with the performances put up by India’s top three batters in the last few games. The first-ever World Cup winning captain was extremely critical of KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli when he was asked about their recent performances. Kapil Dev said that these players are failing to live up to the expectations and are getting out in the most crucial situations.

Notably, India’s two batting stalwarts, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli had a forgettable outing in the recently concluded IPL 2022. While Sharma failed to register a half-century playing for Mumbai Indians, Virat Kohli scored 341 runs in 16 games at an average of 22.73. Meanwhile, KL Rahul was heavily criticized for his batting approach in the Eliminator against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). Rahul had scored 79 runs off 58 balls in a chase of 208.

Talking about the continuous failure of the top three batters, Kapil Dev criticized them for leaving the team stranded. Dev said that despite knowing that their dismissals add to the pressure, these ‘big players’ get out when they are needed to take off.

“They have a big reputation and there's huge pressure on them, which shouldn't be the case. You have to play fearless cricket. All of these are players who can hit at a strike rate of 150-160. Whenever we need them to score runs, they all get out. When it is time to take off (in the innings), they are out. And that adds to pressure. Either you play an anchor or you play striker,” Kapil Dev said on the YouTube channel Uncut.

The approach needs to change: Kapil Dev

He further talked about KL Rahul and said the batter needs to be clear about his role in the team. The former captain also suggested that if these three batters continue to disappoint, the BCCI would be compelled to look the other way.

“When you talk about KL Rahul, if the team tells him to play the entire 20 overs and you come back with a score of, say 60 not out, you're not doing justice to your team,” said Kapil. “I think the approach needs to change. And if it doesn't, you have to change the players. A big player is expected to make a big impact. Having a big reputation is not enough, you also have to deliver great performances,” he added.