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Former India selector and batting coach Sanjay Bangar the upcoming five-match Test series against England presents a big opportunity for KL Rahul to establish himself as a key figure in the Indian Test team. With the recent retirements of senior players like captain Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, the team is currently undergoing a period of transition. In this new landscape, Rahul, now one of the most experienced members of the squad led by the relatively young captain Shubman Gill, has the chance to step out of the shadows of his predecessors and assert his influence.
KL Rahul boasts a respectable Test record when playing in English conditions. Across nine matches, he has amassed 614 runs, at an average of 34.11 riding on two centuries demonstrating his capability to adapt his game and perform well in the often challenging environment of English pitches. In the upcoming tour, he is expected to open the innings with Yashasvi Jaiswal. His primary responsibility will be to navigate the initial overs against the new ball, especially in potentially swinging conditions, and to lay a solid foundation upon which the middle-order batsmen can build and capitalise.
KL Rahul has always played under the shadow of these marquee players: Sanjay Bangar
Bangar believes that this series provides an ideal platform for Rahul to show his leadership qualities and batting prowess and solidify his position as a mainstay in the Indian Test lineup for the years to come. The transition period offers a unique chance for senior players like Rahul to take on greater responsibility and guide the younger members of the team, shaping the future of Indian Test cricket.
“I think what he is expecting from himself is going to be extremely critical. Now that he has been with the team since 2014, it’s 10 long years, he has the opportunity to come outside the shadows of maybe Ajinkya Rahane, Virat Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara and Rohit Sharma. He has always played under the shadow of these marquee players,” Bangar said on Star Sports.
Throughout his career, much like in limited-overs cricket, Rahul has often experienced shifts in his batting order in Test matches. This has been partly due to the team's strategic requirements and sometimes due to his own inability to solidify a permanent position. While he began his Test journey primarily as an opener, Rahul later transitioned to batting lower down the order, taking on the role of a wicketkeeper-batsman during Rishabh Pant's recovery period following a serious car accident. Subsequently, in India's tour of Australia the previous year, Rahul was reinstated as an opener. However, even in that series, he moved back to the middle order to accommodate Rohit Sharma at the top. Now, with Rohit Sharma's retirement, the expectation is that KL Rahul will once again return to the opening slot, partnering with Yashasvi Jaiswal for the Test series against England.
“In this World Test Championship cycle, he can stamp his authority and make this phase his own. From that perspective, it’s a very exciting phase for KL Rahul. If he does end up doing this, I think his name will also be taken in the same realm as the cricketing greats of the Indian fraternity who have played Test matches,” Bangar added.
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