Ishan Kishan and KL Rahul - (Source: AFP)
After hours of rain delay, the much-awaited ODI between India and Afghanistan is finally underway at the Dharamsala Stadium. In a 25-over contest, India captain Shubman Gill won the toss and opted to field first, citing the conditions as the reason behind his decision.
India handed debuts to Harsh Dubey and Gurnoor Brar. Shubman Gill remarked that preparations for the 2027 ODI World Cup have begun, and the two inclusions are to check bench strength.
Ishan Kishan Replaces Virat Kohli In The Team
Before the start of the match, there were speculations about Virat Kohli’s replacement, as the right-handed batter is out of the team due to a hamstring injury. The cat is finally out of the bag, and Ishan Kishan marks his return to the ODI set-up for the first time since the 2023 ODI World Cup.
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It is a temporary set-up as Virat Kohli will return to the side for the England ODIs. However, fans spotted a massive shuffle in the batting order after the team sheet went viral on social media.
Ishan Kishan’s Inclusion Threatens KL Rahul’s Place In The Team
It is true that Ishan Kishan is Virat Kohli’s replacement, but looking at the team sheet, it is clear that his inclusion has put a serious threat to KL Rahul’s place in the team. Notably, according to BCCI’s team sheet, KL Rahul will bat at No.3.
Meanwhile, Ishan Kishan has been placed at No.5. Now, once this series gets over and Virat Kohli returns, then the question will be, where will KL Rahul go? And, if Ishan Kishan plays well, it will only add extra stress for the selectors.
Ishan Kishan Given New Role, KL Rahul Threatened Further
Now, once Virat Kohli returns, the veteran comes in, and Ishan Kishan should ideally be left out of the playing XI. However, in the team sheet, the Jharkhand-based cricketer has been named as the wicket-keeper, not KL Rahul.
Therefore, if the team is looking at Ishan Kishan as their next wicket-keeper, then there is no debate, and it will be KL Rahul, whose place will be sacrificed in the ODI set-up. The only explanation here is that India are experimenting and wants two quality keeper-batter options ready in time for the World Cup. Nonetheless, KL Rahul already feels threatened by this move from the management.
Does KL Rahul Deserve To Go Out Of The Indian Team?
KL Rahul is fresh off a century against Afghanistan in the Test set-up and is looking to replicate the same in the fifty-over format. The 34-year-old has been brilliant in ODIs, scoring 3360 runs in 86 innings, averaging 50.91.
However, shuffling his batting order makes no sense because the DC star has played most of his ODI career at No.5. If we look at the stats, then KL Rahul has played 34 innings at No.5, amassing 1478 runs, averaging 61.58.
Whereas, at No.3, KL Rahul has played just 3 innings, scoring 77 runs, averaging 25.67.
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