While Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are set to make their comeback in T20Is, KL Rahul has been omitted by the BCCI selectors.
All three senior batters, Rohit, Kohli, Rahul, last played a T20I in the T20 World Cup 2022 semi-final against England in Adelaide. Rohit and Kohli have been named in the squad to host Afghanistan for 3 T20Is – with Rohit back as the skipper – it seems that the selectors and management want to move on from KL Rahul in the shortest format, despite his brilliant and successful return to the ODI and Test team since his injury last year.
Why have the selectors and management ditched KL Rahul from India’s T20I team?
Here are 3 reasons for that:
Selectors not convinced that Rahul has left the conservative T20 style behind
A major criticism that KL Rahul has been getting since 2020 with regard to his T20 batting has been his lack of aggression at the top of the order. Whether he was playing for Punjab Kings, Lucknow Super Giants, or Team India, Rahul tends to start slow and then look to explode toward the end.
However, the anchor style role only suits one man: Virat Kohli, who is the best in the world at that role. While Rohit Sharma has thrown away his conservative batting style and adopted a new aggressive mantra, Rahul still needs to show that he is changing to the modern T20 approach. He will get that opportunity during the IPL.
Jaiswal and Gill have earned their places
Both Jaiswal and Gill had a great year in T20 cricket and have earned their place in India’s T20 team ahead of KL Rahul. Gill was the Orange Cap winner in IPL 2023 while Jaiswal was the most aggressive opener in the tournament, scoring at a strike rate of 163, and even outshined his batting partner, Jos Buttler.
Gill racked up a T20I century at the start of 2023 against New Zealand, while Jaiswal averaged 33 and, importantly, struck at 160 in 15 T20Is last year.
In contrast, KL Rahul batted at a strike rate of only 119 in 9 games in IPL 2023 before getting injured.
The management would want Rahul to reinvent himself in T20s too
After taking up the middle-order and wicket-keeper role in ODIs and Tests, Rahul has reportedly decided to do that in the IPL as well. With Gill, Jaiswal, Rohit, Kishan, and Gaikwad the likely contenders for the opening spot, it leaves no place for Rahul to get in the side as an opener.
However, with Rishabh Pant still injured, Rahul can come into the T20I squad as a keeper and middle-order batter, and would then compete with Samson and Jitesh for the role.
What do you all make of this power-packed T20I squad set to face Afghanistan? 😎#TeamIndia | #INDvAFG | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/pY2cUPdpHy
— BCCI (@BCCI) January 7, 2024
Also Read: Ranji Trophy 2024: Riyan Parag Slams Incredible Century With 12 Sixes Ahead Of IPL 2024
