KL Rahul has been a mainstay in India’s ODI set–up for years. His ability to adapt across batting positions and versatility has often been praised, but the constant shuffling of his position in India’s line–up is starting to raise serious concerns. The ongoing ODI series against England is yet another example of this mismanagement. Rahul, despite his stellar record at No. 4 and 5, has been pushed down to No. 6. And to make things worse, all-rounder Axar Patel was sent ahead of him, most likely to maintain a right-left combination, leaving Rahul with almost nothing to contribute in the game. Unsurprisingly, he failed to make an impact, scoring just 2 off 9 balls in the first ODI and 10 off 14 in the second.
Rahul’s Ever-Changing ODI Batting Positions
Rahul has been hailed as a ‘versatile’ batter for his ability to slot in anywhere, but has this flexibility worked against him? Over the years, he has batted in seven different positions, being tossed around to accommodate other players.
Rahul’s ODI career has been marked by frequent changes to his batting position, making it difficult for him to settle into a consistent role. As an opener, he has performed decently, averaging 47.78 with two centuries, but India never gave him a long run in that role. At No. 4, he has excelled with an average of 55.80, while at No. 5, he has been even better, scoring over 1,200 runs at an average of 57.22. It is evident that KL has had success in the middle order, despite sometimes even batting as low as No. 6 or 7, where his performances have been underwhelming. He is not a big-hitter, and his numbers at No. 6 (54 runs in four innings at an average of 18.00) indicate that. Yet, he continues to be pushed down to accommodate team strategies.
If we look at the past few months, Rahul has been shuffled around constantly. In the India-Bangladesh ODI series, he batted at No. 6. Against New Zealand, No. 6 again. In the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, he went from opening in the first three Tests to No. 3 in the fourth, only to be sent back to the opening slot for the final game. This kind of inconsistency is bound to affect any player’s performance and confidence.
Rahul vs. Rishabh Pant: Who Will Bear the Brunt?
As the Champions Trophy approaches, the debate over who should be India’s wicketkeeper-batter in the XI—Rahul or Rishabh Pant—is heating up. With Rahul struggling at No. 6 in the first two ODIs against England, the management might be tempted to try Pant in the role. If Pant comes in and smashes a match-winning knock, will that be the end of the road for Rahul in the playing XI? Will his exclusion be justified, considering he was already batting out of position?
If Pant delivers, Rahul’s spot could be in serious jeopardy. But the real question is why was he put in this situation to begin with? Why was he demoted and an all-rounder given preference over him? Is the team management making the best use of Rahul’s skills, or are they setting him up for failure?
So, what’s the way forward? Should India back Rahul at No. 5, where he has thrived, or persist with their strategy of having left-right combinations? If Rahul is pushed down the order, then why not play Pant at No. 6 instead of messing with Rahul’s confidence? It’s clear that constantly moving him around not only affects his performance but also weakens the overall batting order. India need a hitter at No. 6, preferably a Pant–style batter.
At the end of the day, India must decide if they want to get the best out of a proven performer like Rahul at a position that suits him the best, or continue playing musical chairs until he becomes an afterthought.