3 reasons why India should risk KL Rahul as the frontline wicket-keeper for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy
Team India batter KL Rahul was at the press conference ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which commences on Thursday, February 9 in Nagpur.
Ahead of the first Test against Australia, Rahul claimed that he's happy to adjust to the demands of the team and perhaps bat in the middle order. The vice-captain endured a tough year in Test cricket in 2022 and is under pressure to justify his place in the side.
It might be wise for Rahul to take up more responsibilities as well. He has never donned the gloves in Test cricket and it will definitely be a gamble if India decide to make him the primary wicket-keeper. But it might be the hosts' best bet at retaining the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
India’s Test squad for the first two Tests against Australia: Rohit Sharma (captain), KL Rahul (vice-captain), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KS Bharat (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammad Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, Suryakumar Yadav.
Here are three reasons why India should take a risk and make KL Rahul their frontline wicket-keeper in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
#3 KL Rahul's wicket-keeping has improved significantly over the last two years
KL Rahul has been a part-time wicket-keeper for most of his career, but he has been behind the wickets rather often over the last few years. He has become Team India's frontline wicket-keeper in ODIs and has donned the gloves in the Indian Premier League for the Punjab Kings.
Rahul has become rather reliable with the gloves. He isn't prone to making schoolboy errors and is assured with his sideways movement against the pacers. While keeping to spinners on turning tracks is a different challenge altogether, there's reason to believe that the 30-year-old has made enough strides with his glovework to take on the mantle in the longest format.
#2 KL Rahul could slot in at No. 5 and allow Shubman Gill to open the batting
If Rahul is made the wicket-keeper, it wouldn't be reasonable to expect him to bat in the top four, with an eye on his workload. A move into the middle order, where there is a vacant No. 5 slot, could be in India's best interests.
In the ODI format, Rahul's batting returns have increased since being named the wicket-keeper. In 15 matches as the premier keeper, he averages 55.25, a figure that is more than 10 points higher than his career average. The same could happen in Tests as well, with No. 5 being a role that appears to suit his game.
This could also help India open the batting with the red-hot Shubman Gill, who has been plundering runs across formats over the last few months. Gill and Rohit Sharma have formed a fruitful partnership, and it could be a win-win in the long run as well when Shreyas Iyer returns from injury.
Shreyas and Rahul could both be part of the middle order, with India sacrificing either an extra bowling option or the batter they play instead of the former to accommodate the duo.
#1 Neither Ishan Kishan nor KS Bharat inspire much confidence
India's two wicket-keeping options for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy don't inspire confidence. In Rishabh Pant's absence, Ishan Kishan and KS Bharat are part of the squad for the first two Tests.
Both Kishan and Bharat average less than 40 in first-class cricket and aren't known for long innings. They also arguably do not possess the range and counter-attacking potential of Pant, who has been one of the best Test batters in the world over the last two years.
While Bharat seems to be the frontrunner to make the playing XI, he hasn't even made his debut for the national side yet. Throwing him into the mix in such a high-octane series might backfire on the hosts. KL Rahul, meanwhile, has plenty of experience under his belt and might be better-equipped to handle the challenges posed by Australia.