Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has expressed his doubts about KL Rahul being the right choice to open the batting for India in the first Test against Australia in Perth. With captain Rohit Sharma absent from the series opener on November 22, the team faces a tough task in finding an appropriate replacement.
The coaching staff has shown confidence in Rahul, highlighting his past experience as an opener in Australia. Recently, he was added to the India A squad for an unofficial Test against Australia A, where he opened the innings.
However, Rahul’s performance has not been strong recently. In that match, he scored only 4 runs in the first innings and then 10 runs in the second, getting out in an unusual manner when the ball slipped through his legs. Manjrekar believes that Rahul’s current lack of confidence makes him less suitable for the opening role, which is crucial for setting the pace of the innings.
“KL Rahul isn’t setting the world on fire as an opening option. It’s clear he’s struggling, and as much as I admire his talent, he seems low on confidence. You don’t ideally want such a player opening the batting, as it’s vital to get the innings off to a good start,” Manjrekar noted during an interview on ESPNCricinfo.
Since the start of 2022, Rahul has played 12 Test matches, scoring 514 runs at an average of 25.7, which includes one century and three half-centuries. His record as an opener in Australia is also concerning, with just 183 runs at an average of 26.14 over four matches.
Manjrekar suggested that Rahul might be more effective batting at number six, where he could support the lower-order batsmen. “Given his past performances batting lower in the order, especially in South Africa, I believe he would be more valuable there, especially against a softer ball,” he explained.
Despite his recent struggles, it seems likely that Rahul will open the batting in Perth, as he was spotted doing so in practice matches. The team will also need to address who will replace Shubman Gill at number three, with players like Dhruv Jurel, Abhimanyu Easwaran, and Devdutt Padikkal being considered for the spot.
