Dravid backs underfire Rahul to click

India coach Rahul Dravid said Tuesday they are shutting out criticism of KL Rahul and backed the opening batsman to come good at the Twenty20 World Cup.

India's vice-captain has failed to get into double figures in three matches as the tournament in Australia moves towards the business end.

India play Bangladesh in Adelaide on Wednesday in a tough group led by South Africa. India are second and will take a significant step to the semi-finals with a win.

Rahul's scores of four, nine and nine have been a major talking point after the team went down to South Africa in their previous match, but Dravid is unfazed by the chatter.

"I think he is a fantastic player. He has got a proven track record," Dravid told reporters of the under-pressure Rahul.

"He is actually playing really well and I'm hoping it all clicks together in the next three or four games."

Former India wicketkeeper Farokh Engineer was unimpressed with Rahul's technique at Perth after he fell to South African quick Lungi Ngidi.

"Their first problem is opening batsman KL Rahul, who is terribly out of form," Engineer wrote in a column for Khaleej Times.

"The way he was out, it was like he was giving catching practice. He just glided the ball into the first slip. An opening batsman doesn't do that!"

Pressed further on Rahul's form, Dravid said: "We don't get swayed by what is said outside.

"We have the confidence and belief in our players, especially in this T20 format, which is such a high-risk format that you are asking people to play a high-risk brand of cricket."

An elegant top-order batsman, Rahul has played 43 Tests, 45 one-dayers and 69 T20 matches for India since making his five-day debut in 2014.

He averages just under 38 in the T20 format with a strike rate of 138.75 and Dravid said: "He is suited for these conditions, these pitches."