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'KL Rahul will have to fight...': Ex-India batting coach says star batter may have lost place in ODI XI
Hardik Pandya was announced as the vice-captain of the Indian ODI team to face Sri Lanka ahead of KL Rahul.
KL Rahul has been India's vice-captain in all formats for most series in which he played since Rohit Sharma was made captain last year but that seems to have changed. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), while announcing the squads for the upcoming T20I and ODI series against Sri Lanka, announced all-rounder Hardik Pandya as the vice-captain for the 50-over matches as opposed to Rahul.
Rahul is not part of the squad for the T20Is as well. Former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar has said that this and the fact that Ishan Kishan scored a double century batting at the top of the order, would mean that Rahul may have to fight for a spot in the team. While Rahul has mostly played in the lower middle order in ODIs, Pandya's return could mean that it will be tricky for him to find a spot.
"Taking into account the success that Ishan Kishan has had at the top of the order, will mean that KL Rahul will have to fight for a place in the playing XI. I feel KL Rahul might not be part of the playing XI at the moment in 50-over cricket and hence, Hardik Pandya's elevation to vice-captaincy," said Bangar on Star Sports.
Bangar also said that it Ishan Kishan playing as the opener with Rohit Sharma is a “no-brainer”. The 24-year-old had ended India's preceding ODI series in Bangladesh by scoring 210 off 131 balls. He had reached the 200 mark in just 126 balls, making it the fastest ODI double hundred of all time. “As far as who is going to open with Rohit Sharma in the absence of Shikhar Dhawan, I think it is a no-brainer. It has to be Ishan Kishan, for the kind of form he showed in the Bangladesh series,” he said.
"Not only that, but for the way he played the South African pacers when they came to India. He was impressive then and he is going to bat with Rohit Sharma at the top of the order for a very long time."
