November 19, 2023 is a memory fresh in every Indian cricket fan’s mind – the night when, alongside the eleven on the field, a million other dreams shattered. That night, KL Rahul bore the brunt of criticism. He was blamed for the loss, called “weak”, and accused of “crumbling under pressure”, among other things. His 66 off 107 balls became the reason for India’s inability to put up a competitive total. And what no one will forget is the look on his face when Virat Kohli was bowled by Pat Cummins. Standing at the non-striker’s end, Rahul was wide-eyed, realising that the responsibility was now on his shoulders.
It took time for Rahul to emerge from the shell he was forced into after that night. Across formats, being pushed up and down the order did his confidence no favours either. But since the Anderson–Tendulkar Trophy last year, we have witnessed a complete transformation in Rahul the batter.
Yesterday afternoon against New Zealand, while Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli were expected to grab the attention of fans, it was Rahul who stole the spotlight in the first innings. He smashed a century to take India to a competitive total of 284, scoring an unbeaten 112 off 92 balls. In the process, he became only the second wicketkeeper-batter after MS Dhoni to score a century against New Zealand, and the first player to score an ODI hundred in Rajkot.
When we talk about the resurgence of Rahul as a dependable middle-order batter for India, it traces back to England last summer for a multitude of reasons. First, it was the period when Rahul’s opening position was finally solidified following former captain Rohit’s retirement from the Test format. Second, it was a series in which India fielded a team in transition under a young captain. During that time, Rahul was told by someone he holds in high regard in his personal life that, with a young captain and the series on the line, he could not afford to “fade into the background”.
He had a long and insightful conversation with this family member, who was in London ahead of India’s final Test at The Oval. From that point onwards, Rahul was seen assisting Shubman Gill with field placements, engaging in discussions with the bowlers, and even contributing to tactical decisions on the field. In an off-the-record conversation, one of the greatest batters in Indian cricket history commented on Rahul’s consistency: “He is finally batting like he did when he first broke on to the scene,” said the legend in the Edgbaston lunchroom. “This is the real KL Rahul.”
While there appears to be clear role clarity in Tests, Rahul has not been able to bat at his preferred No. 5 position in ODIs in recent times. Gautam Gambhir and his support staff, with their horses-for-courses approach and preference for left-right combinations, have often pushed Rahul down the order. However, with this century, Rahul has made a compelling case for the management to stop experimenting with the No. 5 position. After all, it is where his best performances have come.
In the post-match press conference, assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate spoke about Rahul’s scintillating knock. “He is certainly good enough to be a No. 5 – that’s a quality hundred,” he said. “One of our strategies over the last 18 months has been to extend the batting order, and we like to use all-rounders either high up the order or at No. 5, as we’ve done with Washington Sundar in the past. With Rahul finding form and scoring runs, he can be a regular number five, allowing us to play all-rounders at six, seven or eight. Hopefully, with Harshit Rana at number eight, it gives us a lot of depth.”
Going by ten Doeschate’s statement, this innings may not immediately put an end to the debate or the experiments, but it should at least force a pause. Because Rahul’s century in Rajkot was not merely about “finding form”; it was a statement from a batter performing in his best position – one that complements his style of play. A position where Rahul has the comfort of understanding his role, trusting his method, and carrying responsibility without being overwhelmed by it. At No. 5, the most natural version of KL Rahul flourishes – and that has always been the version India needs the most.
For more updates, follow REVSPORTZ.
