KL Rahul has become a key middle-order batsman in ODI cricket, especially at No. 5 where he has an impressive average since 2020. However, with the upcoming Champions Trophy, India opted to bring in a left-handed batsman, Axar Patel, higher up the order at No. 5. This shifted Rahul to No. 6. Rahul says he is adjusting well to this change and focusing on improving his boundary-hitting skills.
In a post-match interview after India’s semi-final win, Rahul admitted he enjoys batting at the top of the order, recalling his experience opening in Test matches in Australia. He acknowledged that batting lower down the order is a different challenge, but it is a role he has played in white-ball cricket for the past few years.
Rahul emphasized his experience of batting in various positions, stating it has helped him understand his game better. He mentioned working specifically on hitting boundaries more effectively, especially after batting at No. 6 in a previous ODI series in Sri Lanka where the team needed a left-hander in the top order.
Speaking about his place in the team before the Champions Trophy, where he was competing with Rishabh Pant for the wicketkeeper-batsman role, Rahul was ultimately selected. In the semi-final against Australia, he came in to bat after Axar Patel’s dismissal, with India needing 86 runs off 15 overs. Despite Virat Kohli’s wicket falling later, Rahul anchored the innings, scoring an unbeaten 42 off 34 balls to guide India to the final.
When questioned about dealing with the uncertainty around his batting position, Rahul pointed out that he has been consistently batting at No. 5 since 2020. He expressed some frustration with the recurring questions about his place in the team after breaks from ODI cricket, despite consistently performing in the roles assigned to him by captain Rohit Sharma.
Rahul conveyed confidence in the team management’s support, stating that he feels he has executed his assigned roles to the best of his ability and that Rohit Sharma has consistently supported and backed him.
Discussing the semi-final match conditions in Dubai, Rahul noted the pitch was slow and favored spin, making it difficult to rotate the strike. He explained his strategy to take calculated risks, especially with Virat Kohli well-set at the other end. He targeted bowlers like Tanveer Sangha, Ben Dwarshuis, and Adam Zampa for boundaries. Despite Kohli’s dismissal and Hardik Pandya’s wicket, Rahul, along with Ravindra Jadeja, ensured India’s victory.
Rahul recounted his conversation with Kohli on the pitch, where he decided to take on the bowlers, allowing Kohli to focus on rotating the strike and staying till the end. He felt that taking risks was necessary given the slow nature of the pitch and the required run rate.
