Wanted: Role clarity for KL Rahul
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India’s ODI squad is facing a pivotal question about KL Rahul’s role as the team prepares for the 2027 World Cup, with recent performances in New Zealand highlighting the need for clearer batting positions. The first two ODIs against the Kiwis exposed vulnerabilities in the middle order, particularly after Virat Kohli’s early exits, with the team struggling to stabilize the innings on pitches offering bounce and movement.
Rahul, who has often been deployed as a flexible utility player across formats, showed why he might be better suited at No. 5 rather than No.
6 in such conditions. His unbeaten 26 in Wellington, though modest in runs, underscored his ability to absorb pressure and anchor the innings when the ball seamed sharply—a skill Axar Patel, promoted to No.
5 in both matches, failed to replicate despite his strengths on slower wickets. The contrast between Rahul’s steady approach and Patel’s struggles suggests India’s selectors may need to rethink their batting order, especially as the team gears up for the World Cup’s challenging conditions in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Namibia, where similar pitch behaviors could test batters again.