JOHANNESBURG: Will KL Rahul follow his ODI template and move into a middle-order role to revive his Test and T20I careers? With India set to play seven Tests over the next two-and-a-half months, that question has cropped up a few times already. On Saturday, Rahul, India’s stand-in captain, addressed those lingering questions ahead of the first ODI in Johannesburg.
“I don’t know about all formats, right now my focus is on this ODI series,” Rahul said. “Yes, I’ll be doing the same role. I’ll be wicketkeeping and batting in the middle order. After that, yes, I would be happy to take up that role even in the Test matches.”
Rahul last played a Test in February 2023, and lost his place at the top of the order to Shubman Gill after four low scores in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. A hip injury in the IPL then ruled him out of contention for the WTC final and the subsequent Test series in the Caribbean.
In this time, Yashasvi Jaiswal has had an excellent Test initiation as opener and Gill has been anointed as India’s new No. 3. With Shreyas Iyer also set to reclaim his middle-order spot, Rahul’s only immediate way back in could be if he keeps wicket.
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“I’ve always been open to doing new roles and accepting whatever role the team wants me to perform,” Rahul said. “So I’m happy to do whatever the management, coach and captain ask of me. If that’s the role the team sees me in, I’m happy to do that.”
What about T20s? As things stand, India have only three more T20Is against Afghanistan to narrow down their combination ahead of the T20 World Cup in June, so IPL form is likely to have a massive bearing on the squad composition.
