IND v AUS 2020: KL Rahul breaks MS Dhoni's T20I record
With a half-century against Australia at the Manuka Oval on Friday, KL Rahul went past MS Dhoni on the list of Indian wicket-keeper batsmen with the most T20I fifties. The former Indian cricket team captain had registered two 50+ scores in his T20I career, while the half-century against Australia was Rahul's third as a keeper-batsman.
KL Rahul has been in the form of his life this year as he has dominated opposition bowlers in white-ball cricket. The batsman had a memorable IPL 2020 in the United Arab Emirates and is currently one of India's best-performing batsmen in the series against Australia.
The Indian team management preferred Rishabh Pant as the next wicketkeeper, but an injury to Pant prompted the selectors to give KL Rahul a chance. The Karnataka-born player grabbed the opportunity with both hands as he was the top scorer for the country in the T20I series against New Zealand earlier this year. His 224 runs included two half-centuries at Eden Park.
Can KL Rahul help the Indian cricket team record another clean-sweep in an overseas T20I series?
KL Rahul played a match-winning role for the Indian cricket team in the historic 5-0 series win over New Zealand. The Kings XI Punjab skipper has scored 374 runs in nine T20I innings this year.
His batting average is 53.42, and he has played at a brilliant strike rate of 142.20. Still, his highest score in T20Is of 2020 is 57*. Having shattered the record for the highest individual score by an Indian batsman in IPL this year, KL Rahul will be keen to play a big knock at the international level soon.
The 28-year-old already has two T20I hundreds to his name. With the T20 World Cup 2021 set to happen next year, KL Rahul will aim to continue his top form in this format and extend India's unbeaten streak in T20I cricket.