KL Rahul has over three months to play in ten international cricket tournaments. He has made eight hundred in exactly fifty Test matches, including a recent classic in Centurion.
However, a 34.08 average indicates his potential was not reached during this time frame. Additionally, it exposes him to ongoing scrutiny regarding his standing in the XI.
The 32-year-old is already facing competition from younger players, such as Sarfaraz Khan and even Dhruv Jurel, for a spot in the Indian middle order come the new season, despite having scored a fantastic 86 in his last appearance in this format before an injury kept him out of the rest of the England series.
The Rahul situation is more straightforward for India captain Rohit Sharma. “You don’t have to think about it too much,” he stated two days before the season’s first Test in Chennai against Bangladesh.
“You know, when we choose an XI, a lot of consideration is given to what players have accomplished over the previous ten to fifteen years, how many runs they have scored in the last two or three series, their form, and everything else.
“What kind of experience a player has, who wins the match, and who has the greatest potential to influence the game” are the topics we typically discuss. Our decisions are based on what we believe is appropriate for each player. Indeed, some things are simply there in front of you; all you have to do is pick them up and place them in the block.”
Before turning over a new leaf as an opener in 2019, Rohit suffered similar stutters for nearly six years of his Test career. Rohit was understanding of the whims of form and their effects on cricketers. A small percentage of cricket players have never experienced problems in their lives.
It continues to rise and fall. In my opinion, the best thing you can do now is to recognize who you are, what is expected of you, and what you can contribute to the team.”
After Rahul back-shifted to the middle order during the South Africa tour, the Indian captain said that the message to him about his place in the team has been clear. The management hopes that Rahul will eventually feel most at home in this new role because of his background playing spin and expertise in handling the [second] new ball from his extensive experience as an opener.
“Everyone is aware of KL’s particular quality. Since I took over as captain, we have only sent him obvious messages: we wanted him to participate in every game. And we want him to perform to the best of his abilities.
It is also our responsibility to help him reach his full potential. We must make what is expected of him very evident to him. We’ve accomplished that. “And since his comeback, he’s performed admirably, scoring a hundred in South Africa and eighty points in the first Test match in Hyderabad before suffering an unfortunate injury.
I never again played any of the games. Thus, it is visible to us. The man possesses talent. Additionally, it’s critical that we convey clear messages to him each time we have a chance to talk to him. And we have carried that out.
He needs to play the game: the seamers, the spin. Thus, I need to see how he cannot excel in Test cricket. The time is right for these opportunities. It goes without saying that after playing international cricket for so long, he needs to know where he wants to take his career.