The debate around KL Rahul’s place in the Indian team has grown louder as the series against Australia progresses. While he has yet to perform at his best, this has only served to intensify the conversation about whether or not there should be changes to India’s batting order, particularly given Shubman Gill’s red-hot form in ODIs and T20I cricket. The fact that despite India’s near-flawless performance in the first two Tests, there continues to be a question mark over one of the openers shows just how polarizing a figure Rahul is. This suggests that until he regains some confidence with the bat, the talk regarding this intense topic is not dying down any time soon.
Prithvi Shaw’s struggles this season was one of the hot topics heading into the 4th Test match between India and Australia. After averaging 33.44 in 47 tests, he has been facing pressure for his spot on the team. Despite that, Rahul Dravid and Rohit Sharma had staunchly supported him; Dravid cited his hundreds in South Africa and England, while Rohit spoke of encouraging his potential rather than dwelling on the past scores. Nevertheless, it appears to be inevitable – selectors have relieved him of his vice-captaincy role for the remaining two Tests, hinting at an impending axing from the squad. It remains to be seen whether this will be sufficient motivation for Shaw to prove himself or whether this demotion marks a permanent end to his illustrious career with India.
Debate regarding the future of KL Rahul in India’s national cricket team has been ongoing since he had a woeful 2020. His patchy form even led to some former cricketers, who believe that the long rope given to Rahul has now reached its end. Despite this, there have been others like Aakash Chopra who have championed the cause of Dravid and Rohit in showing their support for him. While it may be difficult for Rahul to make a strong comeback into the national side after his prolonged slump, Chopra feels he should at least get another opportunity before his potential contribution is written off. It remains to be seen whether or not Rahul will be able to redeem what has been an underwhelming season and prove himself worthy of a place in the Indian cricket squad.
Gautam Gambhir, the former India opener, recently sparked an interesting debate on Twitter with former Indian pacer Venkatesh Prasad about the merits of Team India batsman, Rahul. Gambhir was adamant that Rahul should be included in India’s Test XI, pointing to his outstanding record over four major nations — South Africa, England, New Zealand and Australia. His impressive numbers during these past tours supported this opinion and served as a compelling argument from Gambhir. The fact that Gautam was advocating this case suggests he believes that Rahul can make an immediate difference for the team going forward in these testing overseas trips.
It is not hard to see why the Indian selectors, coach, and captain are fully behind opener KL Rahul. Rahul has proven his ability to successfully bat in foreign SENA countries since 2020 with a strong average of 38.64 – the third-best among all Indian batters. This figure is even more impressive since it only accounts for two Tests at home he has been a part of during this period. To add further perspective, KL Rahul’s healthy average bests that of Rohit Sharma and Washington Sundar – both of whom have had far more Test matches played in SENA countries over the same time frame.
Chopra’s recent statement on Twitter clearly demonstrated his desire to remain impartial when it comes to the contentious topic of Rahul’s selection process. He does not want any job connected to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) or any IPL team, wanting only to analyze the facts surrounding Rahul’s saga objectively and without bias. This sentiment is likely in response to the harassment that Venkatesh Prasad has been receiving due to his vocal critiques of Rahul, a situation most likely familiar with Chopra who has also shared his views on the matter. Given this latest update, it should be expected that Chopra will continue offering balanced coverage of Rahul’s story; something that many cricket fans would surely welcome given its complexity.
Rahul Dravid, also referred to as The Wall of Indian Cricket, is undoubtedly deserving of the merits earned due to his incredible tally of centuries in different countries. What is truly remarkable is that the record of hundreds he has attained are not only confined to major tournaments, but he has been consistent in between matches as well. In a time when players tend to waiver from their commitment and no longer milk their potential completely, Rahul’s story continues to speak for itself. Having garnered praise from cricketing greats such as Rohit Sharma and Dravid himself for his steady disposition and enviable form across continents, it is fair to say Rahul Dravid deserves more credit than any other Indian opener in modern day cricket.
After India’s six-wicket win in Delhi, former captain Rahul Dravid told Star Sports that K.L. Rahul’s performance needs to be celebrated not only in India, but also abroad. With top performance in both England and South Africa, Rahul has shown his worth on a global stage and deserves to be commended for his consistent effort in international cricket. His recent run of success is evidence that he should be backed as far as possible, and that his future will only grow brighter with continued support from fans and players alike. A special recognition must go out to the spectacular shot he struck at Lord’s — a testament to Rahul’s skill and increasing influence on the game of cricket – further proof of why it is important to give him our backing wherever we can.
Rohit Sharma was full of praise for his then-vice-captain, Rahul, after his incredible batting performance on a damp pitch in England and then again in India’s follow-up win at Centurion. It is never easy to bat first when you lose the toss and have to face the elements. But Rahul stepped up to the challenge, displaying the immense potential he holds as a batsman. His skill set yet again proved its worth during these crucial moments; enabling India to claim two victories that could have otherwise gone down as defeats.
With the Indian cricket team set to play another Test in Indore on March 1, the stakes will be even higher this time around. The long break between the second and third Tests may prove to be a blessing in disguise as it offers India a much-needed opportunity to remotivate, recuperate and regroup. While all eyes will be on the Indian captain at the start of the match, there is no doubt that who opens up with the skipper is expected to dictate largely how the match turns out for India. Going by recent outings, who joins him at the top could well make or break India’s chances of winning this crucial fixture. Thus, an interesting battle awaits as we all watch eagerly who steps out to open with captain at Indore!
