KL Rahul as middle-order batsman in Test? Anyone would have thought in 2019? The India’s tour of England will begin on 4th August 2021. Team India will be playing a series of 5 test matches against England in England conditions. India got defeated by New Zealand in the WTC Final in England. India is not having a great record in the England conditions. India’s batting line up got collapsed in both the innings of the WTC final. Indian team likely to make changes in the first test against England.
KL Rahul has made the perfect case for himself in order to be selected in the Playing XI
Currently team India is playing practice match against County select XI at riverside ground in Durham. Yesterday, KL Rahul scored a brilliant century on a difficult pitch where all other batsmen struggled. KL Rahul century came in difficult times when the team was struggling to score runs, scoring a smart 101 before retiring him out gave a loud message to the selectors and team management to start taking him seriously as a solid middle-order batsman in all the formats.
India’s middle order has been the concern for the team and captain Virat Kohli since the 2015 world cup semi final against Australia. Great players like Virat Kohli , Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane are not inform. Virat Kohli has yet to score a century since 2019.
Virat Kohli just averages 19.33 in the year 2020 in test cricket. Virat Kohli has just managed to score 113 runs in 6 innings. In 2021, Virat Kohli played 8 innings for team India and scored 229 runs at an average of 28. In the WTC final, Virat Kohli looked in touch and scored with an average of 42.
Virat Kohli is the only player to have a 50 plus average in all the formats but has failed to deliver in last few years. The average of 40 is not just good enough for a batsman like Virat Kohli.
“The Wall”, Pujara has not been dependable in last few games. Pujara has also not scored a century since 2019. In 2019, he scored with an average of 46 . He average got dropped in the year 2020 and 2021. In 2020, he played 8 inni gs and scored with a poor average of 20.6 and in 2021 , he scored 364 in 12 innings with an average of 30.3 .
KL Rahul is the player who can give stability to the Indian middle order, an extremely talented batsman and can be given chances in the middle order. Can also play aggressively which will remove pressure from Kohli and Rahane. Strike-Rate in Test Cricket is an underrated concern but with the level of competition nowadays, both defence and attack should be part of one’s game plans.
The team India management is regarding Rahul as a middle order batsman now. They are not considering Rahul as opener in test cricket. Rahul can provide stability to the team India.
Virat Kohli talked about the poor batting performance by the team India in the WTC final against kiwis. India lost the game against kiwis. Team India failed to score runs in both the innings.
Rahul has not play a single test match since 2019. But Rahul can replace Pujara at No. 3 in the batting order. Pujara has not delivered for team India for a very long time. Rahul can also bat at No. 5 in place of vice captain , Rahane. Rahane was the highest run getter for team India in the WTC but has not been consistent at all.
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Rahul will be given chances in the upcoming 5 match series against England. If Rahane and Pujara fails to deliver for the team India then Rahul might seal that spot. However, don’t be surprised if Rahul pips Pujara to make the playing XI from the 1st Test itself.
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