KL Rahul has been under immense scrutiny for some time now. Whether it is in the IPL for his low strike rate, or his lack of form for India, KL Rahul has, more often than not, found himself on the wrong side of the headlines.
"Rahul’s selection is not based on performance but favoritism. He Has been consistently inconsistent and for someone who has been around for 8 years not converted potential into performances. One of the reasons why many ex-cricketers aren’t vocal despite seeing such favouritism is the chances of losing out on potential IPL gigs. They wouldn’t want to rub the captain of a franchisee the wrong way, as in today’s age most people like yes men and blind approvers. Often well-wishers are your best critics but times have changed & people don’t want to be told truth," Venkatesh Prasad recently made these remarks on KL Rahul.
But does he deserve all the criticism being thrown his way? Let's look at his numbers to see what he has really been up to.
KL Rahul's Test Numbers
- Innings: 81
- Runs: 2642
- Average: 33.44
- Strike Rate: 51.64
- 50s: 13
- 100s: 7
Now these were his career numbers, and to be honest, Rahul has seen plenty of good things come his way. Now let's look at his numbers in Test cricket since 2020.
Numbers Since 2020
- Innings: 21
- Runs: 636
- Average: 30.28
- Strike Rate: 41
- 50s: 2
- 100s: 2
Now, these are some worrying numbers, in 21 innings played for India, Rahul has averaged just 30 with two 100s and two 50s against his name. The strike rate isn't much of an issue in the longest format of the game, but it is 10 points lower than his career figure.
This was about Test cricket, KL Rahul's place in the team has been under fire in limited-overs cricket too. Although he doesn't seem in plans for the shortest format of the game now, it is in 50-overs cricket that the team expects him to play a solid role at number 5, and you can see for yourself from the numbers below, that he has done the job for the team.
KL Rahul At Number 5 In ODIs
- Innings: 16
- Runs: 658
- Average: 50.61
- Strike Rate: 102
- 50s: 6
- 100s: 1
Whether it is the average or the strike rate, Rahul has been fantastic for Team India in ODI cricket at number 5. But how has he performed in recent times?
Last 10 ODI Innings
- 3rd ODI Vs Sri Lanka 7 (6)
- 2nd ODI Vs Sri Lanka 64 (103)
- 1st ODI Vs Sri Lanka 39 (29)
- 3rd ODI Vs BAN 8 (10)
- 2nd ODI Vs BAN 14 (28)
- 1st ODI Vs BAN 73 (70)
- 3rd ODI Vs ZIM 30 (46)
- 2nd ODI Vs ZIM 1 (5)
- 1st ODI Vs ZIM 0 (0)
- 2nd ODI Vs WI 49 (48)
Yes, the numbers at number 5 have been great, but his recent outings haven't particularly been. Now to really understand what has happened, we will also have to look at his numbers in the T20 World Cup 2022.
Numbers in T20 World Cup 2022
- Innings: 6
- Runs: 128
- Average: 21.33
- Strike Rate: 120.75
- 50s: 2
- 100s: 0
The numbers are far from what was expected from him. The strike rate too was poor, and he did not play any match-winning innings. This added fuel to the fire.
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IPL - A Problem?
If we look at his strike rate and average in IPL over the past three years, it is nothing to be ashamed of. On the contrary, it is magnificent for an opener.
IPL 2022
- Average: 51
- Strike Rate: 135
IPL 2021
- Average: 62
- Strike Rate: 139
IPL 2020
- Average: 56
- Strike Rate: 129
Yes, he is no Gayle, McCullum or Roy, but he has gotten the job done.
What Happened?
So, what has happened is that the expectations from him have been massive, and he hasn't been able to live up to them. His below-par record in Test cricket since 2020, a poor outing in the 2022 World Cup and his recent outings have spurred up a narrative that isn't in his favour, and rightly so.
His numbers in ODI cricket and IPL are great, but his recent performances have not been at a level one would expect from someone who has been with the team for so long. The fact that the likes of Shubman Gill and Sarfaraz Khan are waiting in the wings doesn't do anything good for him either.
Rahul has got to come back at his best sooner rather than later. The time might just be running out for him.
