KL Rahul has not been in his elements for a while now. Sure, the India batter has notched up a few half-centuries since his comeback into the Indian team post a groin injury but has looked far from convincing, and more importantly, failed to deliver in crunch games. Rahul, who for the longest time was viewed as an opening option for India, batted at No. 4 in the ODIs against Bangladesh, an indication that the team management may no longer be viewing him as a top-order contender in the playing XI.
With so much competition for the opening slot, Rahul’s place in India’s Playing XI for the World Cup looks doubtful, reckons former batting coach Sanjay Bangar. The ex-India all-rounder feels that Ishan Kishan’s recent double-century against Bangladesh in Chattogram promises to close the lid on Rahul’s chances. Barring Ishan, Shikhar Dhawan is also in the mix, as are Ruturaj Gaikwad and Shubman Gill. With so many promising young talents breathing down his neck, Bangar feels Rahul will not have it easy making the Indian Playing XI when the World Cup reaches India later this year.
“Taking into account the kind of success that Ishan Kishan has had at the top of the order which means KL Rahul will have to fight for a place in the playing XI, and hence I feel that KL Rahul may not be part of the playing XI in 50-over cricket at the moment,” Bangar said on ESPNCricinfo.
In 2022, the Indian team saw as many as seven players captaining the side, Rahul included, and Bangar believes that with Hardik Pandya now permanently leading the T20I team in the absence of Rohit Sharma, Rahul has dropped in the pecking order, which will make it all the more difficult for him to gun for a spot in the team. Besides, India are yet to lose a match under Pandya which is why he has been backed by Bangar to succeed Rohit as the next ODI and T20I captain, quite easily leap-frogging Rahul, who has been left out of the Sri Lanka series, for the position.
“Hardik Pandya’s career graph as far as his captaincy is concerned is pretty good because the way he led his team to the IPL championship was fabulous. So, it meant in the longer run he is going to be a strong contender to take over the reins from Rohit Sharma whenever the situation arises,” added the former India batting coach.
