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KL Rahul ends silence on his batting position in Nagpur Test vs Australia; hints at India's playing XI
KL Rahul also gave a hint towards India's possible playing XI for the opening Test match.
When Australia had last visited India in 2017, KL Rahul had scored 393 runs with six half-century scores. He was the third-highest run-getter in the series. Even through the lows of 2018, he managed to hand himself a lifeline with his 149 in Oval, before facing the axe. On return to Test fold in 2021, he scored a ton at Lord's and then in Centurion, in a bid to cement his place in the Test line-up once again. But as Australia return to India, six years since their last visit, Rahul's position in the India playing XI remains uncertain. The emergence of Shubman Gill has sparked a debate on whether India should open with Rahul or push him down to middle order for the first Test in Nagpur. Amid all the talk, Rahul has broke his silence.
Rahul has primarily been an opening batter for India in Tests, having featured in the position in 42 of his 45 appearances in the format. He scored 2513 runs at 35.90 with seven centuries. The only ever time he has ever played in the middle-order was in 2014, against Australia in Melbourne, where he was dismissed for just three runs.
With Gill in sensational form, veteran cricketers like Harbhajan Singh have backed the youngster to open alongside captain Rohit Sharma, leaving Rahul as a middle-order option. However, the latter faces stiff competition for the other role as well with Suryakumar Yadav being a potential option to fill the gap.
“If the team wants to me to bat in the middle, I am ready to do it," said Rahul in the pre-match press conference in Nagpur on Tuesday when asked about his batting position.
Rahul also gave a hint towards India's possible playing XI for the opening Test match.
“There will be a temptation to play three spinners because of the turning track in India but we would know the pitch on the day of the game. Not decided on playing XI, tough decision, couple of vacancies are there," he said.
