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KL Rahul (Source: X)
Indian opener KL Rahul was magnificent in the first Test match against Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024. The player scored 26 runs in the first innings and 77 runs in the second. After facing numerous criticisms for his form and performance, the player finally showed his true potential against the mighty Aussies. Well, now that Rohit Sharma has returned, the chances of Rahul opening in the series haven't been made clear yet.
During a presser, reporters asked Rahul about his batting performance, to which he gave a quirky reply. Rahul said, "I’ve been told, but I’ve also been told not to share it today. You have to wait for Day 1, or it may be when the captain (Rohit Sharma) comes here tomorrow." The instructions were clear and hilarious, but the question wasn't answered, which left the cricket fraternity wondering.
Rahul opened with Yashasvi Jaiswal in the warm-up game against PM's XI, where he looked solid against the bowling line-up. He scored 27 runs in 44 balls and was retired hurt. Skipper Rohit Sharma demoted himself in the batting order and came to the No. 4 position but failed to impress with his bat. He could only manage to score three runs.
KL Rahul's batting performance as an opener
We all are aware of KL Rahul's flexibility when it comes to batting positions. The cricketer can play the new ball as well as the old ball, which means he can bat at any position without being a liability for the team. Also, the player can keep behind the wickets. This makes him an all-rounder, a much-needed all-rounder for the team.
If we speak statistically, Rahul has played 77 innings as an opener, scoring 2654 runs on an average of 35.38. He hit 13 boundaries and seven tons in the process. This shows his potential as an opener is much more than a middle-order batter.
In the Pink ball game, where India struggles a lot if Rahul and Jaiswal would manage to stay on the crease for a long time, the scores will come easily. Now, it is up to the management to take the call, but the records and recent performance suggest that Rahul should get another chance in the same position.