KL Rahul has been one of India's best ODI batters in recent years. Image Credits: AFP
KL Rahul has done almost everything for India across formats. Yet, his ODI work in the middle order over the last couple of years arguably stands as his finest contribution in Indian colours.
The middle order is one of the most challenging positions in white-ball cricket, more so for a batter who spent the bulk of his career opening. However, Rahul has not only adapted due to the team’s requirement but also aced the role.
KL Rahul’s middle-order mastery
Since 2024, KL Rahul has scored 579 runs at an average of 64.33 and a strike rate of 111.13 while batting at No. 5 or 6 in ODIs. Among all batters with at least 10 innings in these positions during this period, he has the highest average and the second-best strike rate.
Also Read: KL Rahul’s 2027 World Cup Spot In Danger? Ishan Kishan's New Role In IND vs AFG Raises Eyebrows
That strike rate is only marginally behind Glenn Phillips’ 112.36. Rahul has hit a boundary every 9.14 deliveries.
So, Rahul has combined consistency with explosiveness, a rare feat in modern ODI cricket. His dominance becomes even clearer when his numbers are compared with those of other middle-order batters who featured in the same matches.
In those matches, all other batters occupying No. 5 or 6 collectively struck at just 91.22 and needed 11.32 deliveries per boundary. The gap illustrates just how much value Rahul has added in one of the most demanding roles.
KL Rahul has been better than most other batters in middle order
He does it with remarkable consistency, irrespective of the conditions and the opponent. His superior pace game suits the role perfectly.
Take his innings against South Africa in Raipur last year, where other lower middle-order batters, Washington Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja, struggled to hit with the old ball. KL Rahul held his shape and played a timely cameo of 66 runs to propel India to a big first-innings score, despite limited support.
The versatility
What makes KL Rahul all the more special is his ability to ace various situations. Batting at No.5 or 6, he has to adapt himself to different roles, and he has hardly failed in any of them.
Rahul's entry points have varied significantly, reflecting the flexibility of his role in India's ODI setup. Since 2024, he has walked in as early as before the 20th over and as late as after the 40th, depending on the team's requirements.
When arriving before or during the 20th over, Rahul has struck at 157.14 and needed only 5.09 deliveries per boundary since 2024. These situations have often arisen after early collapses, requiring him to counterattack despite challenging batting conditions.
That’s precisely what he did in Perth last year. In a rain-interrupted match, Rahul arrived when India were 25/3, which soon became 45/4.
As India kept losing wickets, he played a quickfire 38-run knock, including two boundaries and as many maximums. This knock helped the team reach 136/9 in 26 overs, a score that looked impossible at one stage when India were 84/5 in the 20th over.
Rahul's most common entry point has been between overs 20 and 35. In this phase, he has amassed 320 runs at an average of 64 and a strike rate of 99.38, reflecting his ability to keep the innings moving while limiting risk.
KL Rahul has aced every role
In Rajkot earlier this year, New Zealand reduced India to 118/4 in 23.3 overs, with all top four back in the pavilion. Rahul responded with a gritty 112 after forming useful stands with Ravindra Jadeja and Nitish Kumar Reddy.
His innings, accounting for 39.43% of the team's total, carried India to 284/7. The knock encapsulated the value he provides in this phase: stabilising the innings after a collapse while ensuring the scoring rate remains healthy.
If the first phase showcases Rahul the counterattacker and the second Rahul the consolidator, the final phase reveals Rahul the finisher. A couple of quick wickets brought New Zealand back into the game in the Champions Trophy 2025 final.
However, Rahul held his end tightly and played a timely 34-run knock in 33 balls on a tricky deck to block all the routes for the Kiwis’ comeback. He paced the chase expertly, ensuring India crossed the finish line without further drama.
The common thread across all three roles is Rahul's ability to read the situation and adjust his tempo accordingly. That adaptability has allowed India to use him as far more than a conventional middle-order batter.
Rahul’s importance in the middle order
KL Rahul has made himself a dependable option in the middle order just when India need the most. At the moment, their two finishers - Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja - have shown significant issues against high pace.
Pandya has been poor off the back of a length and shorter deliveries at high pace due to his unstable base. Since 2025, he has been dismissed four times in 26 balls on these two lengths against pace.
Meanwhile, Jadeja’s hitting skills are on the wane, and he needs some time to get going. On fast tracks, he can show issues in the lower order.
So pace-hitting in the middle and slog overs remain a massive concern for India heading to the World Cup 2027. That’s where Rahul needs to keep going in this tricky role at No.5 or 6.
A lot will depend on his shoulders once the field is spread and only one ball is used after the 34th over. His ability to generate power from a stable base and hold his shape will be useful when the ball reverses or the opponent uses shorter lengths.
In slog overs, Rahul has a strike rate of 140.09 and a balls-per-boundary ratio of 7.21 since 2025. So, apart from stabilising the innings, his pace skills will also be crucial in South Africa.
Few batters in world cricket combine the roles of counterattacker, consolidator and finisher as seamlessly as Rahul. If India are to navigate the unique challenges of the 2027 World Cup in South Africa, his versatility could prove indispensable.
Also Read: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Fights With Umpires, Pushes Tilak Varma In Super Over Chaos
