We Love Options: Coach Ravi Shastri Opens Up On Using KL Rahul As Wicketkeeper In Limited-Overs

KL Rahul showcased his mettle with the bat and wicketkeeping gloves in the just-concluded three-match ODI series against Australia. He chipped in vital knocks of 47 and 80 in the first two matches before falling for 19 runs in the ODI decider. However, behind the stumps, he rarely committed a mistake and also effected a superb stumping to get rid of Aaron Finch in the second ODI fixture.

Now it appears that the Indian team management is thinking about making KL Rahul the permanent wicketkeeper-batsman of the team instead of Rishabh Pant. Speaking after the series win over Australia, Indian captain Virat Kohli said that KL Rahul offers a better balance to the team when he takes the role of the wicketkeeper-batsman.

The Indian captain also took a trip down the memory lane to recall how Sourav Ganguly-led Indian team effectively used Rahul Dravid as a wicketkeeper. Kohli said that KL Rahul donning the gloves allows the team to include an extra specialist batsman. Virat Kohli had also hinted that the team-management prefers KL Rahul to keep the wickets.

Ravi Shastri opens up on using KL Rahul as a wicket-keeper batsman for New Zealand tour

With India’s next assignment against New Zealand to begin on January 24 (Friday), India head coach Ravi Shastri opened up on using KL Rahul as a wicketkeeper-batsman in the limited-overs.

Ravi Shastri told news agency PTI in an exclusive interaction, “We love options.” He also spoke about Shikhar Dhawan’s injury which ruled him out of the New Zealand assignment due to shoulder dislocation. “Very sad because he (Dhawan) is a senior player. He is a match-winner. When someone suffers an injury of that sort, everyone is hurt in the team,” added Shastri.

Read More: Gautam Gambhir Raises Concerns Over Rishabh Pant’s Future After KL Rahul’s Rise