T20 World Cup 2022: 3 Indian players who can replace KL Rahul after the tournament
India's quest for their second T20 World Cup title was ended by England on Thursday (November 10). The Men in Blue were handed a 10-wicket defeat at the Adelaide Oval in the semifinals.
After being asked to bat first, India only posted a total of 168/6 on the board. With the openers unable to provide a steady start, the team had to rely on half-centuries from Virat Kohli and Hardik Pandya to get them to an under-par total.
In reply, the England openers blazed away, pasting the Indian bowlers as they motored along to a comprehensive victory. India's issues were highlighted in England's approach in the powerplay.
The Men in Blue only scored 38 runs in the powerplay in comparison to England's 63 at the same stage. Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul received plenty of flak for their tentative approach in the powerplay throughout the tournament, with a few fans even calling for other players to be given a chance.
On that note, let's take a look at three players who can replace KL Rahul in the shortest format for India.
#1 Rishabh Pant
It's fair to say that Rishabh Pant hasn't been able to live up to the hype in a format that seems tailor-made for the way he approaches the game. His recent form in T20Is cost him a place in the starting XI as India tried to accommodate him in the middle order, seemingly with a shocking lack of clarity on occasions.
The experiment of opening with the southpaw in the build-up to the T20 World Cup didn't really matter, with Rahul being backed by the team management throughout. However, it might be time for the team to start exploring other options, and the Delhi wicketkeeper could be at the top of the list in that regard.
#2 Prithvi Shaw
Another player who should be at the top of the pile in terms of replacements is Prithvi Shaw. However, the Mumbai batter hasn't been able to find himself anywhere near the second-string Indian team either, raising serious doubts about his future for the national side.
With 1588 runs at an average of 25.21 and a strike rate of 147.45 in the Indian Premier League (IPL), the Delhi Capitals opener has shown he belongs at the top level.
Even in the recent Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, Shaw was the leading run-scorer for Mumbai with 332 runs in the tournament at a staggering strike rate of 181.42. If the national team really wants to give into the new template of T20 batting, Shaw deserves to be one of the first names on the team sheet.
#3 Sanju Samson
Sanju Samson has been in and around the Indian side for more than a few years now but is yet to find his best position in the side. After being tried and tested in a number of different roles, the team management might want to stick with him at the top of the order.
In the four times he has opened in T20Is, Samson has scored 105 runs at an average of 26.25 and a strike rate of 164.06. In all T20s, he has opened the batting in 24 innings, scoring 559 runs at a strike rate of 135.
Although the sample size is relatively small, the Rajasthan Royals captain has shown he can do a job for the team at the top of the order. With him excelling against high-quality pace, the spot for him could be there for the taking.