3 batters who might be replaced when KL Rahul comes back from injury
India are set to announce their squad for the 2023 World Cup (WC), and the big news is that KL Rahul has received his fitness clearance and is set to be named in the squad. He's also part of the Asia Cup squad and after missing the two Group A games, he's likely to be available for selection for the Super 4s stage if India make it through, with their first game set to be on Sunday, September 10.
While it was widely expected that Rahul would slot in at No. 5 in place of Ishan Kishan, Kishan's superb knock against Pakistan has created a debate on what India's best combination is once Rahul comes back and whose place he takes.
With the chances of a fit KL Rahul getting benched in ODIs very unlikely, let's look at three batters whose place he could take.
#3 Shreyas Iyer
Shreyas Iyer is the least likely of the three batters on this list to be replaced when Rahul returns to the side. Not only is he India's best player of spin, he's the answer to their long-term No. 4 problem in ODI cricket. He's scored 818 runs in only 21 innings at No. 4, with an average of 45.4 and a strike rate of almost 95.
Before both his and Rahul's injuries, Shreyas Iyer was a lock in the Indian limited-overs setup and he should remain so at least for this World Cup. Shreyas Iyer should continue batting at No. 4 for India and shouldn't be affected by Rahul's return to the side.
#2 Shubman Gill
Shubman Gill has been going through a lean patch in international cricket after a terrific start to the year that extended into an outstanding IPL season. He boasts of stellar numbers in India in ODI cricket, scoring 704 runs in only 12 innings, averaging 64, and scoring at an excellent strike rate of 113.4.
While it needs to be noted that a lot of those runs were scored against a fairly weak Sri Lankan side and a second-string New Zealand outfit, there's no denying how good a player Shubman Gill has been for India.
However, post the IPL, he has struggled for form outside of India and had a poor West Indies tour, and looked out of sorts in the first Asia Cup match against Pakistan. With Ishan Kishan in great form, there is a possibility India could make the most of it and open with Rohit and Ishan as KL comes in at No. 5.
However, Gill's scoring record in India is incredible, and with that being the venue for the WC, they're unlikely to mess with the opening partnership of Rohit and Gill.
#1 Ishan Kishan
It might be harsh on Ishan Kishan, but the most likely course of action would be to keep him as a bench option if KL Rahul returns to the side. He has put in some really good performances as an opener in ODIs on either side of the IPL, winning the Player of the Series award in the ODI series against the West Indies.
While he was always assured a spot in the WC squad because he's also a backup opener in addition to a being wicket-keeper, his superb counter-attacking knock against Pakistan in the Asia Cup, batting at No. 5, has now raised the question if he deserves a spot in the playing XI.
With KL Rahul putting up brilliant numbers at No. 5 for more than three years, Ishan Kishan is unlikely to oust him from that position after one or two good performances. While there remains the possibility that he opens along with Rohit, he's the most likely to drop to the bench if KL Rahul returns.