India National Cricket Team batsman Hanuma Vihari has opined that the team management is backing star batter KL Rahul at No.6 in Test cricket because they want an experienced campaigner at that position when they travel to Australia for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. KL Rahul is one of the most experienced batters in the Indian Test setup and he has done quite well for the side, especially in overseas Tests. He has featured in 51 Test matches and has done a decent job so far. In 81 innings, he has scored 2901 runs at an average of 34.12.
According to Hanuma Vihari, Kl Rahul should be at number six, while Rishabh Pant would be on number five. He named Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Yashaswi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill as top four. KL Rahul has been under the scanner for quite some time. Three years ago, Rahul was seen as a captain for India in all formats, but now he is not in the T20I squad anymore, and is under pressure to lose his place in the ODI and Test rosters too.
KL Rahul’s test career and recent performances
Since his Test debut in 2014, KL Rahul has featured in 51 matches, scoring 2,901 runs at an average of 34.12. His role as an opener has seen him amass 2,551 runs in 75 innings, with seven centuries and 12 fifties, but his performance across other positions has been inconsistent. At No.3, he has managed just 88 runs in five innings at an average of 17.60, while at No.4, he has scored 108 runs across two innings at a healthy average of 54. In six innings at No.6, he has added 154 runs to his tally.
Seen as the next captain of Team India in all formats, even three years ago, KL Rahul now has lost his place in the T20I squad and is under constant pressure to hold on to his place in the ODI and Test XIs. One of the major reasons behind this is his inconsistency. Despite having all the arsenal to turn into a modern-day great, KL Rahul has not established himself in the Test side. In 51 matches, he has scored 2901 runs, averaging 34.12.
KL Rahul has some memorable knocks in Australia, England and South Africa, some of the most difficult places to get runs runs for a subcontinent batter but somehow, he hasn’t quite managed to drive home the momentum. Even in the first Test against Bangladesh, KL Rahul was guilty of putting too much pressure on himself.
KL Rahul has not looked at his very best in recent times but he will be a key member of the side in Australia during the five-match Test series. His numbers haven’t been impressive down under, as in 5 matches, he has scored just 187 runs at an average of 20.77 while 110 of his total runs had come in one innings.
It will be a great opportunity for KL Rahul to better his numbers in the Border-Gavaskar series, which will begin in Perth on November 22. The second pink-ball Test will be played in Adelaide from December 6 while the rest of the matches will be held in Brisbane (December 14-18), Melbourne (December 26-30), and Sydney (January 3-7). Meanwhile, Hanuma Vihari claims that the Indian team management is looking at the bigger picture by playing KL Rahul at No.6 in Tests.
Hanuma Vihari backs KL Rahul batting down the order in ongoing Bangladesh Tests as a dress rehearsal for BGT 2024-25
Indian batter Hanuma Vihari believes the management is looking at the bigger picture for the marquee Test series in Australia by batting KL Rahul at No.6 in the ongoing Bangladesh series at home. KL Rahul batted at No.6 in the first Bangladesh Test in Chennai and managed scores of only 16 and 22* despite India’s massive 280-run win.
The 32-year-old hadn’t batted lower than No.4 since his maiden Test in Australia in 2014 until the South African tour at the end of last year. KL Rahul scored a brilliant century against the Proteas at No.6 in the first Test in Centurion and continued at the position in the following Test at Cape Town.
Talking to JioCinema ahead of the second Bangladesh Test, Vihari said:
“KL Rahul’s role will be important because he is someone who’s got the experience in playing in SENA countries and he can bat long. He has done well in SENA countries. I feel they are looking at KL Rahul at number 6 as well. By playing Rahul ahead of Sarfaraz in the current series (against Bangladesh), they are looking at a bigger picture. They want experience in number 6 when we tour Australia.”
He added:
“Because in Australia playing at 6 you need to have good technique whether it’s facing the second new ball or batting after an early collapse.”
Despite the century in South Africa, KL Rahul has struggled for Test form since the start of 2022 with a dismal average of under 26 in 10 games.
Hanuma Vihari confident of KL Rahul scoring runs if he again gets opportunity in 2nd Test at Kanpur
Hanuma Vihari added that Gautam Gambhir and Rohit Sharma are looking at KL Rahul to play a key role in the middle order and bring the team out of trouble in difficult times. Vihari also expressed confidence in Rahul’s abilities and said that the 32-year-old will play a big knock in the Kanpur Test against Bangladesh and cement his place at No.6
“I feel as a team management and selectors, someone at number six to guide the team if they’re in trouble, or play the second new ball and take it forward from there. Obviously, he needs to score runs to back the team’s decision as well. He started well, in the second in the last game.
“Unfortunately, he didn’t have enough time to make it a big score or substantial score, but I’m sure in Kanpur, where the wicket is nice when the opportunity comes, he’ll make it big and cement his place at number six, which is important for Team India when they tour Down Under,” Vihari added.
Following the Bangladesh Tests, Team India will play New Zealand in a three-match home Test series before the blockbuster five-match series in Australia, starting November 22.