Adaptability and flexibility have been among the traits of KL Rahul, especially when it comes to Test cricket. Having opened and batted at Nos. 3, 4, and even 6, Rahul is no stranger to the pressures of the top as well as the middle order in the game’s longest format.
In the ongoing England tour, though, a huge responsibility lies on his shoulders.
A 116 followed by a 51 against England Lions for India A in the second multi-day game in Northampton has not just strengthened Rahul’s role in the batting order as an opener in the upcoming five-Test series against England, it also proves why the Indian team management wants him to bat at the top alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal. The first Test begins at Leeds on June 20.
Unless he sustains a sudden injury or niggle, or there is a late change of mind from the team management, Rahul will open the innings in the forthcoming Test series.
Not just in the top-three or top-four of the current Indian batting line-up, but even among the specialist batters’ group, Rahul, with 58 Test caps, is the most experienced one. Apart from seeing off the new ball in expected blustery conditions and giving the team a solid start, Rahul’s role will also be about guiding the batting group with his experience, together with utilising his determination and composure to help the side navigate difficult situations, particularly if there is a collapse.
“It augurs well for KL that he went to England early for the ‘A’ game and got runs in both innings. He can carry that form into the Test series,” agreed Devang Gandhi, who was a national selector during Rahul’s early days in the Team India setup.
“At present, KL comes across as very assured. He should make this tour count, and given his potential, he can achieve a lot more. If he can get a couple of hundreds or three fifties or so, he can do justice to his potential.
“It’s about adjusting, playing close to the body and leaving the ball well, which suggests he has a very good idea of where his off-stump is. Also, he’s in a very good position as far as his form and mental side are concerned,” Devang explained.
Rahul’s solid, steady opening partnerships with former captain Rohit Sharma played a key role as well in India not losing the series on their previous Test tour of England four years ago. With a century and a half-century, Rahul was India’s third-highest run-getter (315 runs) in that series, where he averaged 39.37.
In that 2021 series too, good judgement was one of the characteristics of Rahul’s batting, as he had left the ball quite well to deny that James Anderson-led English attack from making early inroads on quite a few occasions.
For a brief period — from the 2023-24 tour of South Africa till last year’s home series versus New Zealand — Rahul had to bat at No.6, before being promoted to open again in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia last season.
Rahul’s numbers on the last Test tour of Australia weren’t outstanding, though he did manage to register a couple of fifty-plus scores (77 and 84) in what was an extremely disappointing campaign for India’s batting group.
Of late, though, the composure he has shown on a consistent basis to help the team claw out of challenging situations on tricky surfaces, albeit in white-ball cricket, does bode well for Rahul.
“It’s a sign of the maturity he has gained from playing for the country for a decade,” emphasised Rahul’s long-time coach Samuel Jayaraj. “Before he left for England, I just told him to stay calm. If he stays calm, I’m sure he will fulfil his responsibilities.”
