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India's cricket landscape is buzzing with debates on team selection, specifically surrounding the KL Rahul vs Ishan Kishan dilemma. While India's captain Rohit Sharma and chief selector Ajit Agarkar remain tight-lipped, a majority of former cricketers are endorsing the left-hander, Ishan Kishan, for the Playing XI. Notably, Gautam Gambhir even labeled it a "blunder" if Rahul gets the nod over Kishan.
"India will make a huge blunder if they don't play Ishan Kishan ahead of KL Rahul," Gambhir stated on Star Sports.
Previously, KL Rahul was the undisputed first-choice wicket-keeper-batsman for two key reasons. First being his consistent performances at the No. 5 position, and second being his flawless wicket-keeping, especially when Rishabh Pant was sidelined due to injury. Rahul's expertise provided a balanced dynamic to the Indian ODI side.
However, the equation changed after IPL 2023 when Kishan, initially a backup opener, took over the gloves due to Rahul's thigh injury. Not only did Kishan shine behind the stumps, but he also excelled with the bat, returning as the top run-scorer in the West Indies ODIs with three consecutive half-centuries.
Kishan's breakout performance continued into the Asia Cup group stage, especially when India was in a precarious position at 66 for 4 against Pakistan. He formed a record fifth-wicket partnership with Hardik Pandya that saved the game for India. Although he couldn't reach a century due to cramps, his 82-run knock won over critics and strengthened his case over a now-fit Rahul. India will again lock horns with Pakistan in the Super Fours clash on September 10 and it will interesting to see whether Team India will stick with performer Kishan or Rahul.
Aakash Chopra, another ex-Indian cricketer, emphasised Kishan's knack for thriving under pressure. "Ishan Kishan doesn't get many opportunities, but when he does, there's pressure on him. He has scored a double century, and even after that, we don't see him getting many chances, which is a fact," Chopra expressed on his YouTube channel.
As India prepares to face Pakistan in the first Super 4 stage match of the Asia Cup this Sunday, the question remains: who will get the coveted spot, Rahul or Kishan? While it seems likely that India might lean toward testing Rahul's fitness ahead of the World Cup, many argue that it would be unfair to sideline Kishan given his recent stellar performances.
So, as the clock ticks closer to the Asia Cup match and the forthcoming World Cup, the Rahul vs Kishan debate remains a compelling subplot. Regardless of the outcome, it's evident that team India has a wealth of talent to choose from, making the final decision a challenging yet enviable problem to have.
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