What lies ahead for KL Rahul? Is there a way back in scheme of things for T20 World Cup?

India’s squad for the upcoming Afghanistan T20I collection was introduced by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Sunday night. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli‘s comeback is the largest spotlight of the squad announcement however there lies one other aspect in it. While the return of Kohli and Rohit makes it clear that they’re back in plans for the T20 World Cup 2024, the absence of KL Rahul hints he has fallen back in the scheme of things for the World Cup in West Indies and USA in June.

The T20 World Cup is lower than six months away now and the Afghanistan collection is the ultimate T20I project for the Men in Blue with the upcoming time full of Test cricket and IPL ahead of the the big-ticket match. There is uncertainty over his future in the format owing to his wrestle in the T20 World Cup 2022 and the backlash he acquired on social media after that. 

Transforming Rahul able to do something that workforce wants

However, a reworking KL Rahul just lately mentioned that he’s able to do something the workforce wants from him. The Karnataka batter has predominantly opened the innings for India. Out of 68 innings in the T20I format, Rahul has batted up the order in 52 of these outings. He has additionally not saved wickets in T20Is a lot as he has been with the gloves in simply 8 matches. 

He had a related function in Tests and to some extent in ODIs too the place he used to open and play as a fielder. But he has now reworked himself into a middle-order batter who retains wicket in these two codecs. The 31-year-old admitted a number of occasions that he’s open to doing something that the workforce wants. 

On being requested ahead of the South Africa collection whether or not he want to take the middle-order wicket-keeper’s function in Tests similar to he has finished in ODIs, Rahul admitted that he’s pleased to simply accept new roles. I’ll be pleased to take up that function in Test matches. “I’ve always been hoping to accept new roles. I’m happy to do whatever the coach and captain ask of me, and if that’s the role that the team sees me in during the Tests, I’m happy to do that,” Rahul mentioned ahead of India’s first Test towards South Africa. 

He confirmed the identical for T20Is too. “I want to play for the country, I want to play as many games as I can. It’s a cliched line, but as you play more, you understand when it’s a team game, no position is yours. You have to be able to perform whatever the team requires. You have to be flexible, and adjust and do your best for the team,” he added.

After the Test collection in Cape Town too, he acknowledged that he has advised the workforce to only maintain him in the Playing XI at any slot and he’ll do the function. 

Rahul’s T20 World Cup 2022

The T20 World Cup 2022 was a difficult one for Rahul and Rohit Sharma too. Rahul scored 128 runs from 6 matches and his common of 21.33 was the bottom among the many high 10 highest-run-scoring openers positioned above him. His strike price was higher than solely 5 above him. Rahul discovered it arduous to get off the blocks as he performed 21 dots in the 26 balls confronted in the primary over in the match. Rohit too had underwhelming numbers to indicate with 116 runs at a 19.33 common and 106.42 strike price.

Rahul’s way ahead

Notably, the reworked function can see him garner ideas over his choice. He is open to taking over the middle-order function in T20Is and reportedly even in the IPL for his franchise Lucknow Super Giants. He faces competitors from the likes of Jitesh Sharma, and Sanju Samson, each of whom are in the T20I collection for Afghanistan. 

The upcoming IPL might be a essential level in figuring out the way ahead for Rahul in T20Is because the Indian cash-rich league will certainly play a function in finalising the squad for the June World Cup. Like he has finished extraordinarily effectively up to now, if he can handle the comeback yet another time, the day is coming for Rahul once more.