KL Rahul has been trending right through the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) season. It is his strike rate that has pained many and things haven't changed much since the T20 World Cup. Amidst all the criticism, the former vice-captain of India was picked in the Test squad for the upcoming World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia. The summit clash is set to be played from June 7 at the Oval in London, within 10 days after the IPL final.
Ever since the squad has been announced, KL Rahul's position in the team is being scrutinised. Moreover, his form and strike rate in the IPL hasn't helped his case either. Rahul's form in Tests has also not been great of late. His last 10 scores in the format read: 1, 17, 20, 2, 10, 23, 22, 10, 12, 8. Perhaps, he was also dropped midway through the Test series against Australia at home.
One thing is for sure, injuries to key players have left the selectors no option to stay put with the same set of players for the WTC Final. They have also gone back to Ajinkya Rahane in the middle-order with the likes of Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant not available for the crunch game. Coming back to KL Rahul, the man has a golden chance to become a hero for India and become the posterboy of Indian Cricket by ending the trophy drought of the team in the ICC events.
Yes, KL Rahul can win India the WTC final
This might not please many but KL Rahul can certainly become a match-winner for India according to me. The WTC Final will be played in England where Rahul's record has been tremendous. Out of 47 Tests he has played in his Test career, Rahul has featured in England in nine matches scoring 614 runs with two centuries his name. Moreover, when India toured England last time, KL Rahul was only making a comeback to the Test team after two years and interestingly, he was drafted into the squad as a middle-order batter.
But injuries to openers Mayank Agarwal and Shubman Gill led to KL Rahul taking up the responsibility and that started his turnaround. He returned with the scores of 84, 26, 129 in the first three innings of the series. Though he scored only 13 runs in the next three innings, Rahul had shown immense application in testing conditions and sealed his place in the Test side. He was also one of the better batters for India on the South Africa tour smashing a century in Centurion Tests, again in testing conditions.
Well, exactly after 20 months of his Test comeback, KL Rahul is facing serious questions over his place in the team yet again and there is no better chance for him than to win the ICC trophy for India. He is returning to the country where he had a brilliant tour in 2021 but where will he play? That is the bigger question.
Should KL Rahul open in WTC Final?
Well, this point is debatable. Shubman Gill has sealed his position as an opener but for the one-off game, KL Rahul can be given the responsibility given the way he played in England last time. But then, a player of Gill's calibre cannot be dropped either. India will have to take some tough calls in this case with Gill going down the middle order. For the unversed, Gill was originally in the Test squad as a middle-order batter only before shining as an opener.
On the contrary, KL Rahul can also bat in the middle order but then India will be tempted to play him as a wicketkeeper as well. This is where things can go wrong in the WTC Final. Yes, making Rahul wicketkeeper can help India in strengthening the batting but the job behind the stumps is for the specialists especially in Tests and that too in England and KS Bharat shouldn't be left out. In this case, the returning Ajinkya Rahane will have to wait for his chance on comeback.
Well, it is a hard call for the Indian team management to take but if he plays, this could be the last chance for KL Rahul to redeem his career, at least in Tests.
