India vs West Indies, 2nd ODI: Returning KL Rahul offers Team India both solace and a headache | Cricket News – Times of India

But his return will make the management group scratch their heads to find the right batting spot for him, something that has not really happened consistently. Shikhar Dhawan’s and Ruturaj Gaikwad’s unavailability due to Covid meant that Ishan Kishan had to partner Rohit at the top in the first ODI.
But with Rahul back, he could be at the top of the order come Wednesday. But is it the right spot for a batter like him?
Since he became the first Indian to score a ODI ton on debut in Zimbabwe in 2016, Rahul, a behemoth in T20 franchise cricket and international cricket as an opening batter and Rohit’s opening partner, has not been given a consistent run either in the middle-order or the top-order in 50-overs cricket. The constant shuffling made him lose his place in 2017 as his average plummeted to single digits.
In the 2019 World Cup too, he was the designated No. 4 batter before Dhawan’s hand injury in the game against Australia forced the team management to put him back as an opener. It was a success as English conditions allowed him to play the waiting role and then go for his shots.

Rahul is an enforcer at the top of the order in T20 cricket when it comes to playing in the India Blue. His 1831 runs have come at a scorching strike-rate of 142. 49 with two brilliant hundreds. What’s more, as Rohit’s opening partner, he has added 1535 runs in 27 games at an average of 59. 03 with five century stands. Only three opening stands are above the Indian pair with Rohit and Dhawan occupying top spot with 1743 runs in 52 matches.
But it’s his strike-rate when he captains his franchise in IPL that has always been under the scanner even as he tries to book an appointment with the Orange Cap almost every edition. That very subdued version is seen in ODIs too when he opens and the South African sojourn and the second ODI in Paarl in particular, was a painful reminder of the chains he sometimes binds himself in. “Strike rates are over-rated,” he had said after one of his go-slow approaches for Punjab Kings cost them the game in IPL 2020.
But are they really? When you already have someone like Rohit, who likes to take his time before exploding, can India afford another batter who bats at the same tempo, especially in the powerplay? And especially when you have more explosive options available? Rahul’s lavish array of strokes and his ability to punish errant lines and lengths or create them by moving around the crease has enabled him to bat with rakish energy and urgency in T20Is.

KL Rahul. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)
When his ODI career received a lifeline as keeper-batsman batting at No. 5 in the series against Australia at home, it was almost as if one was seeing a reincarnation of the T20 opener with even more devastating results. His innings in Rajkot, a 52-ball blitzy 80, was stuff of legend.
In 10 games where he has batted at that number, it has allowed him the freedom to strike at 113. 81. combine that with an average of 56. 62 and you are talking about impact performances. At a time when the Indian middle-order is eyeing renovation and restoration, the team management could just go back to what Rahul was at this time of the year in 2020: in beast mode at No. 5.