Wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul didn’t have a great time with the bat in the first ODI between India and England at Nagpur. Rahul was demoted down the order at the expense of Axar Patel as the team management preferred a left-hander in the middle order.
Rahul was earlier in a tussle with the other wicketkeeper in the squad Rishabh Pant for a spot in the Playing XI. However, the team management showed its faith in Rahul and preferred him over Pant.
Former India opener Aakash Chopra has questioned Rahul’s role in the batting order since he came at No. 6 in the order below Axar Patel. Chopra feels that the team management should have played Pant in this game which could have given them a left-hand option in the middle overs.
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Aakash Chopra questions KL Rahul’s place in India’s ODI team
While speaking on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra shed light on KL Rahul’s role in the ODI team after he was demoted in the batting order. He wondered whether India was still going to show the same faith in Rahul despite giving him limited opportunities.
“What are we going to do with Rahul? It’s an important talking point and It’s slightly intriguing. Jacob Bethell and Adil Rashid were bowling. So you didn’t send Rahul, okay fine, but you played Rahul ahead of Pant. However, are you going to show that much faith in Rahul?” Chopra argued.
The former India opener feels that India had the chance to play both Rahul and Pant together in this match since Virat Kohli was unavailable. However, the team management decided to give an ODI debut to Yashasvi Jaiswal, who opened the batting.
“There was an opportunity here to play both of them together. If you needed a left-hander, you could have sent Rishabh Pant first, and then KL Rahul could have followed. If a left-arm spinner or a leg-spinner comes, you will send Rahul too low in trying to maintain a left-right combination,” Chopra added.
India preferred Rishabh Pant in the last ODI in Sri Lanka
In the same video, Aakash Chopra remembered the last time India played an ODI before this series. He reminded his viewers about Rishabh Pant being preferred over KL Rahul in the last ODI in Sri Lanka as the latter was dropped.
“You haven’t done that thus far because there were three matches in Sri Lanka, the first match got tied, you lost the second match, and you dropped him in the third match. Rishabh Pant played in the third match,” he noted.
Rahul had a tough series in Sri Lanka as he played the first two ODIs. The right-hander scored 31 runs in two matches at an average of just 15.50. Meanwhile, Pant scored just 6 runs in the only match he played in that series.
KL Rahul’s performance in the 1st ODI
KL Rahul took two catches behind the stumps and had a fairly good time as a wicketkeeper. It also included a brilliant catch down the leg side to dismiss Harry Brook. However, he scored just 2 off 9 balls with the bat.
His failed knock might not have put India under too much pressure as they were already in a good position. But it has raised questions over his ability since a high-quality player like Rishabh Pant is breathing down his neck.
Axar Patel was promoted above Rahul and the left-hander performed exceedingly well. Patel scored a vital 52 off 47 balls and formed a great partnership with Shubman Gill to take India closer to the target.
