Leg and off: Should India pick KL Rahul for the T20 World Cup?
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) skipper KL Rahul scored a fantastic 82 off just 53 balls at the Ekana Stadium on Friday against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and helped the hosts coast home with eight wickets in hand.
The momentum seemed to be with Chennai after a fantastic cameo from MS Dhoni (28* off 9) helped them post 176/6. However, Rahul dominated the CSK bowling attack from the get-go and didn't allow the chasing side to get under any sort of pressure.
KL Rahul's form, especially in the shortest format, has been a topic of great debate. The latest debate that has begun, especially after his knock yesterday, has been whether the LSG captain can be looked at as India's wicketkeeper-batter for the T20 World Cup.
He seems to be timing the ball really well, but there are a few factors that need to be taken into consideration.
KL Rahul's competition for T20 World Cup spots
Despite the likes of Quinton de Kock and Nicholas Pooran present in the playing XI, KL Rahul continues to take the gloves. It seems clear from this that he is putting his name forward as a potential wicketkeeper-batter, competing alongside the likes of Rishabh Pant, Sanju Samson and others.
With 276 runs in seven matches at an outstanding average of 55.20, Samson is having a fantastic IPL season. He also has a strike rate of 155.06 with two half-centuries so far. Rahul has 10 more runs than Samson so far but with a strike rate of 143.
Rishabh Pant is not too far behind, with 210 runs at a strike rate of 156.72. Looking at the opening-wicketkeeper's role, Ishan Kishan seems to be a direct competition to Rahul. While Ishan has scored 192 runs, he has scored them at a strike rate of 172.97.
The likes of Jitesh Sharma and Dinesh Karthik have a role different from what KL Rahul has been performing as the LSG captain may not be looked at as a finisher who keeps wickets. Karthik's red-hot form also potentially gives him an outside chance for the T20 World Cup.
How would KL Rahul fit into the Indian T20I team?
When LSG traded in Devdutt Padikkal, there were a lot of rumors about KL Rahul potentially sliding into the middle order and letting Padikkal open with De Kock. Many even felt it was the right decision as Rahul had been fantastic in the middle order in the ODIs.
However, that hasn't been the case so far as Rahul has opened the batting in every game so far for LSG this season. The Indian top-order is already spoilt for choices with the likes of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Shubman Gill all in the mix.
Suryakumar Yadav's presence also makes it unlikely that a wicketkeeper-batter could bat in the top three for India in the T20 World Cup. Rahul may have to produce an extraordinary IPL 2024 season to be considered in that opener-wicketkeeper's role.
Should KL Rahul get on the plane to the T20 World Cup?
KL Rahul hasn't played a T20I for India ever since the disappointing 2022 T20 World Cup outing that he had. In six innings, he scored just 128 runs at a modest average of 21.33 and a strike rate of 120.75. While both Rohit and Virat made their T20I comebacks after the ODI World Cup last year, Rahul wasn't considered.
This seems to suggest that the selectors may have moved on from the idea of Rahul being looked at as a potential option. However, the IPL 2024 form can have a huge bearing, and decisions and perceptions can change in a flash.
The next few weeks will be crucial for Rahul's T20 World Cup chances, but he has certainly made things difficult for himself by not batting in the middle-order.