Sports

India Must Pin Rahul at No. 5 for Upcoming World Cup

By TNN

India’s management has long used KL Rahul as a utility player, filling gaps as an opener, middle‑order batsman, wicket‑keeper, finisher or stop‑gap when injuries arise. The 12‑year veteran has performed best when given a clear role. In Test cricket, backing him as a specialist opener during the 2024‑25 Border Gavaskar Trophy improved his consistency. Now, the first two ODIs against New Zealand suggest a similar need in limited‑overs cricket. In Auckland, India’s middle order faltered after Virat Kohli’s dismissal. In Wellington, the collapse was more severe, with India at 113/7 chasing 135 before rain and the DLS method intervened. The conditions—seam, variable bounce and movement—required batsmen who could rely on technique rather than power. Rahul and Shreyas Iyer were the most convincing, with Rahul’s unbeaten 26 proving invaluable. Axar Patel, who has been promoted to No. 5 twice in the series, struggled to make an impact. His average at No. 5 is 30.41, dropping below 20 overseas, while Rahul’s average is 68.58 with a strike rate over 103. The team’s preference for Axar as a floater echoes the Rahul Dravid‑Rohit Sharma era, where a left‑right combination was valued for uneven ground dimensions and batting depth to No. 8, especially with Hardik Pandya unavailable at No. 6. If the World Cup blueprint is Hardik at No. 6 and Rahul at No. 5, the decision should be made now. The 2027 tournament in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia will feature early starts, fresh pitches and quality seam bowling, putting the middle order under intense scrutiny. Rahul’s technique will be crucial. India should use this period to give him ownership of the No. 5 role rather than treating him as a floating solution. Axar’s white‑ball skills remain useful, but his optimal placement may be lower in the order, where his finishing ability and left‑arm spin can balance the lineup without the burden of rebuilding an innings after a top‑order collapse. Rahul has long adapted to what the team needs; perhaps it is time the team adapts to what Rahul does best.