KL Rahul has been a polarizing person in Indian cricket, who has divided opinion among former cricketers, experts and fans. Be it for his strike rate in T20 cricket or for his knock in the 2023 ODI World Cup final or whether he deserves a place in India’s Test side, question marks have always hovered over Rahul. But Rahul stood tall amidst India’s batting struggles in the ongoing third Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, making a brilliant 84 in Brisbane. Former India cricketer-turned-pundit Aakash Chopra has now hit back at other ex-India players who have criticised Rahul in the past.

“We know of KL Rahul’s celebration (shutting ears celebration). Now he has probably eliminated any outside noise and is completely focused on his game,” said Chopra, speaking on his YouTube channel.

“There are several former cricketers who sit and wait for Rahul to fail, and write essays on Rahul’s form. They are all silent now. They won’t speak about anyone anymore,” Chopra added, in a dig to former cricketers who spoke ill of Rahul.

Aakash Chopra silently bodied Venktesh Prasad .

I remember He was the only guy who fought with Venkatesh Prasad when he was doing critics paragraph for Kl Rahul.@cricketaakash pic.twitter.com/nHV76bqATo

— Lordgod (@LordGod188) December 17, 2024

“Things have changed a lot. The boy has done well and people can learn a lot from KL Rahul,” Chopra continued.

One of KL Rahul’s most staunch critics has been former India fast bowler Venkatesh Prasad. Despite both Rahul and Prasad hailing from the same city, Prasad had stated that KL Rahul was in the India Test side due to “favouritism”. Chopra’s comments, about Rahul silencing his doubters, may have been indirectly aimed at ex-cricketers like Prasad.

In a difficult third Test, with India struggling at 74/5 and trying to save a follow-on, Rahul put in a resilient 84 off 139 balls on Day 4, being one of only two Indian batters to go past 50.

Late cameos by tailenders Akash Deep and Jasprit Bumrah helped India avoid follow-on, and massively reduce Australia’s chances of victory.

New Delhi:

Former cricketer Venkatesh Prasad has clattered into the political row triggered by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s controversial election speech in Rajasthan this weekend – in which he referred to the nation’s Muslim community and alleged the Congress plans to “redistribute assets among infiltrators” should it return to power after this year’s election. The ex-India pacer drew a cricketing analogy.

“One of the political party’s manifestos is to redistribute wealth of the rich to the poor. The poor need to be uplifted but this thought process is so pathetic,” Mr Prasad declared on X (formerly Twitter).

“It is like saying ‘if we take 4 points from Rajasthan Royals, Kolkata Knight Riders, and Sunrisers Hyderabad, and re-distribute it to the bottom 3 teams, they can make the playoffs.”

One of the political party’s manifesto is to redistribute the wealth of the rich to the poor. The really poor need to be uplifted but this thought process is so pathetic.
It is like saying If we take 4 points from RR and 4 from KKR and SRH and re-distribute it to the bottom 3…

— Venkatesh Prasad (@venkateshprasad) April 22, 2024

PM Modi’s speech in Rajasthan’s Banswara this weekend triggered furious pushback from the opposition and a section of civil society activists. Congress MP Rahul Gandhi hit out at the “lies” and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said the Prime Minister’s only ‘guarantee’ is “to abuse Muslims…” Samajwadi Party boss Akhilesh Yadav – who is part of the Congress-led INDIA opposition bloc – also called out the “lies”.

READ | PM’s “Wealth To Infiltrators” Jab And Manmohan Singh’s 2006 Speech

PM Modi had said, “This ‘urban Naxal’ mindset… they will not even leave your ‘mangalsutra’. They can go to that level… Congress manifesto says they will calculate gold with mothers and sisters, get information about it, and then distribute that property. They will distribute it to whom – Manmohan Singh’s government had said Muslims have first right on assets.”

PM Modi was referring to a statement by then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh – on whom he lavished praise in February, calling him an “inspirational example” – in December 2006 at a meeting of the National Development Council on the fiscal priorities of his government.

READ | Row After PM Says “Congress To Distribute Assets Among Infiltrators”

According to the then Prime Minister’s Office, Dr Singh had said, “… We will have to devise innovative plans to ensure that minorities, particularly the Muslim minority, are empowered to share equitably in the fruits of development. They must have first claim on resources…”

The swipe, meanwhile, comes as PM Modi and the ruling BJP ramp up attacks on the Congress-led INDIA, which many see as a challenge to the saffron party’s hopes of a hat-trick of Lok Sabha poll wins.

PM Modi has also accused the Congress’ election manifest of being a “Muslim League imprint” and a “bundle of lies”. “Congress issued a bundle of lies in its manifesto… every page reeks of attempts to tear India apart. It reflects the thoughts the Muslim League had before independence,” he had said.

READ | “Its Best Friend…”: M Kharge On BJP’s “Muslim League Imprint” Jab

Ex-Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav made a “folded hands” appeal to the Prime Minister, urging him to stick to discussing ” real issues”, such as the cost of living crisis.

Since then, and unfazed by the criticism and demands of action by the Election Commission of India, the Prime Minister has repeated his attacks. At Uttar Pradesh’s Aligarh today he declared “Congress and INDI alliance are now eyeing your income, your property…”

READ | PM Doubles Down Amid Row: ‘Congress Will Take Your Homes, Jewels’

Meanwhile, this is not the first time Venkatesh Prasad has spoken out against the Congress and appeared to side with the BJP. In December he taunted the party over impending defeats in the Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Rajasthan state elections.

“Abusing Sanatana Dharma was bound to have its consequences,” he posted on X.

READ | “Abusing Sanatana…”: Ex Cricketer’s Dig At Congress Amid Poll Results

Tamil Nadu Minister and DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin stirred up a major political controversy when he said “Sanatana Dharma should be eradicated”. Ally Congress, which largely avoided wading into the controversy, said the party believed in “sarvadharma sambhav” (equal respect to all religions).

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Pramod Madushan (L) during the Sri Lanka vs Pakistan game in Asia Cup 2023© AFP