KL Rahul was dropped from the second Test of India vs New Zealand series. Was this the temporary exclusion or sign of end of the road for him?
KL Rahul’s omission from India’s playing XI for the second Test against New Zealand at the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) Stadium in Pune wasn’t stupefying. The decision was taken after he disappointed with the bat in the first Test in Bengaluru, managing scores 0 and 12 in his two innings.
Despite being publicly backed by coach Gautam Gambhir and assistant coach Ryan Ten Doeschate, Rahul had to make way for Shubman Gill, who returned to the squad after missing the series opener due to a stiff neck.
KL Rahul’s last 10 Tests in brief
Rahul’s lean patch with the bat in his last 10 Test matches validated the case further. He could amass only 434 runs in 17 innings at a meager average of 27.11, striking at 55.40.
In his last 10 outings, he scored only a solitary century (101 runs off 137 balls) against South Africa at Centurion in 2023. In 2024, he started off well in the test series opener against the visitors, England, where he scored 86(123) followed by 22(48) in Hyderabad. Despite a promising start, Rahul had to pull out of the remainder of the Test series against England after he faced an issue with his right quadriceps.
He made his return to the Test team in a series against a visiting Bangladesh team in September that featured an inconsistent scoring spree - 16(52), 22(19) & 68(43). He played a quickfire innings of 68 off 43 in Kanpur to recuperate for 2 successively washed out days to help team India force a result in their favour.
Contrasting white ball and red ball return
Surprisingly KL Rahul averages way less in the longest format of the game compared to the shorter formats of the game. In 53 matches (91 innings), Rahul scored 2981 runs and his average stood at a mere 33.87. Whereas in ODIs, he has scored 2851 runs at an average of 49.15, playing 77 matches (72 innings). In T20Is as well, he has an astounding average of 37.75 in 72 matches (68 innings). Rahul’s strength in white ball cricket hasn’t translated to the red ball arena due to non compliance of technical and mental adjustments.
Key challenges to address in Tests for KL Rahul
Technical Issues: Rahul’s batting technique in red ball cricket has been severely scrutinised, particularly with his struggles against seam and swing bowling. His tendency to nick balls outside the off stump and struggles with short-pitched deliveries have now been brutally exposed.
Inconsistency: Rahul’s inability to convert starts into big scores has been a constant talking point in his Test career. Also after scoring a century or a half century, it is followed up by a string of low scores.
Increased competition for No 6. batting position in Team India: There is an enormous competition for the number 6 position between KL Rahul, Sarfaraz Khan, Shreyas Iyer, and Dhruv Jurel to make the final cut in the playing XI, which has ultimately affected his mental toughness, surrendering himself to pressure and expectations.
Way Forward
Every cricketer’s career is hit by a blue patch at some point of time in their international career. KL Rahul is one of the few batters of the world who possesses adaptability and flexibility and can come to bat at any position, as per the discretion of the management. He has got centuries under his belt against strong opponents like Australia(1), South Africa(2), and England(3) which showcases his skill and grit.
As of now, he isn’t on the verge of facing a complete axing from the Test team as he has been asked to stay with the Team instead of being asked to play at the domestic level. He is still capable enough to make a comeback in Tests given how he has been backed by the management on several occasions.
The unpredictability factor and the constant tweaking of the playing XI in red ball format is one of the highlighting factors in the head coach Gautam Gambhir’s regime. Gambhir was quoted saying, “I feel he (Rahul) is batting really well, he has had a decent knock in Kanpur, obviously on a difficult wicket and he played according to the plans. I am sure he would be knowing that he wants to score big runs, he has that capability of scoring these big runs that is why he is being backed by the team management.”
Ahead of the second Test, assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate revealed his conversation with Rahul after the eight-wicket defeat, “There’s a fight for the spot. Sarfaraz was brilliant. I went to KL after the last game and asked how many balls you missed and there were none. He’s in good space but we’ll have to fit in seven there. So yes there’s competition,” Doeschate said in the press conference in Pune on October 22.
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