IND vs WI | KL Rahul: India’s Middle-Order Mr. Dependable in ODIs

In the South Africa tour, in India's 3-0 whitewash loss, Rahul failed to score runs as an opener, scoring one only fifty and in the other two getting out on 9 and 12. 

New Delhi: KL Rahul returned to national duty in the 2nd ODI against West Indies at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Wednesday as the Men in Blue look to clinch series against the Kieron Pollard-led West Indies.

Batting at No.4, Rahul was short of his 11th half-century by just a run as he was run-out following a miscommunication with Suryakumar Yadav. The Lucknow Super Giants skipper scored a well-made 49 off 48 deliveries, when India’s top 3 in Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant and Virat Kohli failed to churn out runs.

This is not the first time, the Karnataka batter has stepped up when the top order didn’t live up to the task in the ODIs. He has been doing it on a consistent basis since the 2020 Australia series.

As per statistics, Rahul in the last 11 innings in the 50-over game has come up with 4 fifties and 2 hundreds, while batting in the middle-order slot. Only in 4 innings, he has failed to get a 40+ score.

KL Rahul at Middle-Order in ODIs since 2020 Australia Series:-

80(52)
88*(64)
4(8)
112(113)
12(15)
76(66)
5(11)
63*(42)
108*(114)
7(18)
49(48

The ex Punjab Kings man, who is known to be leading the runs for his country from the top order has proven himself as a more efficient batter while batting at middle-order with a 50+ average in the last 2 years.

In this time-span he scored his highest individual score of 112 against New Zealand, another ton in 108 against England, quick-fire 80’s against Australia (80 off 52) and again against New Zealand (88 off 64).

In the South Africa tour, in India’s 3-0 whitewash loss, Rahul failed to score runs as an opener, scoring one only fifty and in the other two getting out on 9 and 12.  It’s high-time, KL gets the nod for batting down the order instead of his usual top order position, as statistically he looks more comfortable in the middle-order slot and had not been for the run-out today, he would’ve got another half-century to his name.