KL Rahul Should Open For India Across All Formats: VVS Laxman

Former Indian team great VVS Laxman has given his backing to KL Rahul, by saying that he should open for Team India in all formats alongside Rohit Sharma. Earlier, the veteran had also said that Rahul should be given a chance to open versus New Zealand in the T20I series.

Rahul meanwhile, responded by consistently scoring runs for India in limited-overs formats as he batted in various slots throughout the New Zealand tour. Such was his versatility that many experts mirrored Laxman’s comments of playing Rahul up the order so he can help the team further.

This is no rocket science, if Rahul does indeed opens for India, he will get to play more balls, and will be able to do more damage to opposition teams subsequently.

However, India instead dropped the 27-year-old from their Test squad, despite Rohit and Shikhar Dhawan not being available due to injury.

VVS Laxman backs KL Rahul, says he should open for India in all formats:

Laxman while calling the Test match between India and New Zealand at Basin Reserve in Wellington, said that Rahul deserved the chance to open for India.

He went as far as saying that the right-handed wicketkeeper-batsman should be promoted to open for India in all formats alongside Rohit.

In Rahul’s absence, Virat Kohli named Mayank Agarwal and Prithvi Shaw as the opening partnership for India, while they have both failed to impress in the ODI series as well as the warm-up game versus New Zealand XI.

The Men in Blue succumbed to just 145 runs in their first innings versus the host, which highlights that the decision to leave Rahul out of the Test squad altogether, was a wrong call from the selectors and Indian management.

In reply of India’s 145, New Zealand made 348 runs, while India’s second innings finished at 144 for four at stumps on day 3.

The second match of this two-match Test series will be played from 29 February onwards at Christchurch.