Recent times in Test cricket have not been good for KL Rahul and he was dropped after the first two Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Image Credit source: PTI
New Delhi: After winning the Test series against Australia, Team India is now going to take on the field to tackle it in the ODI series. This series is very important for some players, as well as it can become a means for the Indian team to overcome some of their problems. The biggest problem in this is the wicketkeeper-batsman, who has been intact since the injury of Rishabh Pant. Now the irony is such that to solve this problem, many questions have been raised regarding the name of Team India itself. The name is- KL Rahul.
When the Indian team will face Australia in the first ODI at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Friday, March 17, the eyes will be on who gets the responsibility of wicketkeeping? There are two contenders – KL Rahul and Ishan Kishan. Whoever gets this responsibility, he will have the opportunity to establish himself as the wicketkeeper of the team for the big tournaments to be held in the coming months.
KL Rahul or Ishan Kishan?
By the way, KL Rahul is ahead in this race and there are many reasons for this, in which experience and past performance are at the top. Also, according to the requirement of Team India, Rahul is a better option. Due to Rahul’s performance in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and before that in the Test series against Bangladesh, there were constant demands to drop him from the team, but it seems that the team will have to return to him again. That is, Rahul has a good chance to bring his fluctuating career back on track.
Rahul Damdar as wicketkeeper-batsman
To understand this, it is also necessary to look at some figures. Rahul’s form in Tests is not very good but his performance in ODIs has been better. Especially whenever he has been fielded in the middle order, he has played well. Rahul has played 16 innings at number five, in which the Indian star has scored 658 runs at an average of 50 and a strike rate of 102.
On the other hand, if we talk about the performance as a wicketkeeper-batsman leaving the batting position, Rahul has scored 663 runs in 15 innings at an average of 55 and a strike rate of 102.79, including 1 century and 6 half-centuries.
Now if Rahul repeats the same performance once again in the 3 matches of the ODI series, then he can make up for the lack of Pant for Team India. This will prove to be very important for the Indian team in terms of the ODI World Cup to be held later this year.
Chance will also be made in WTC Final
Not only the ODI World Cup, but before that Rahul also has a chance to confirm his place in the team for the final of the World Test Championship. Even though Rahul’s recent performance in Tests has not been good, but the team will definitely keep him in the squad for the final against Australia in London from June 7. KS Bharat’s performance as a wicketkeeper and batsman in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy has not been entirely satisfactory.
In such a situation, Rahul has a chance to make his place here too. This is also because he performed well in the Test series played in England in 2021 and also scored a strong century at Lord’s. Also, if he comes for batting in the middle order, then it will also add depth to the team’s batting. Means 3 ODIs can solve the problems of Team India and Rahul himself for the next 6 months.
