IND vs BAN: "It Will Be A Lot Tougher For KL Rahul In The Middle Order" - Hemang Badani 

Hemang Badani, a former Indian batsman, has predicted that KL Rahul will struggle to secure a berth in the middle order of the ODI team. Shreyas Iyer and Sanju Samson are just two of the talented players on Team India who are vying for slots in the starting XI.

Rahul has played in 43 ODIs so far, and 23 of his outings have been at the top of the order. Rahul has frequently had to work in the middle order in recent years because Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan are still the go-to openers.

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KL Rahul may need to make room for players like Rohit, Dhawan, and Shubman Gill in the run-up to the 2023 ODI World Cup even though he has opened the innings in five of his last six ODI games.

KL Rahul To Face Tough Competition In Middle Order: Hemang Badani

In an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda set up by Sony Sports, Badani explained the potential struggle KL Rahul will encounter to secure a spot in the middle order:

“If they feel that they don’t need Shikhar at the top, then they can still stick to the same formula of Rohit and KL which we have seen in the T20 format. It will be a lot tougher for Rahul in the middle order if you ask me because there are quite a few good players in recent times.”

Noting yet another significant shift from Rahul’s middle-order forays from a few years ago, Badani continued:

“The times when Rahul did get runs, you did not have a Shreyas Iyer or a Sanju Samson play consistently, and a lot of these guys are fighting for a similar spot.”

When batting first, Rahul averages 43.57 and has a 79.70 strike rate. His batting averages at Nos. 4 and 5, respectively, are 41.80 and 56.63, with a notable increase in strike rate.

The initial lineup for Team India could alter, and there might be some experimentation. Before the World Cup takes place on home soil, the side is slated to play up to 25 ODI matches, including the 2023 Asia Cup.

KL Rahul Can Bat At No.4 Or No.5 : Hemang Badani

Badani noted that Dhawan’s inclusion in the starting XI could potentially determine Rahul’s batting position and added:

“It’s purely where the team sees him batting because the way I see it is, I am not sitting on the fence and I’ll tell you why. Now if they want a left-hander at the top, if they feel that Shikhar Dhawan is somebody who does fit into the side, then Rahul can bat at No.4 or No.5.”

Badani continued:

“He has done that in the past and we have seen some good numbers from him. If they want Dhawan at the top then that is the way forward.”

The three-match ODI series against Bangladesh kicks off Team India’s journey to the World Cup on Sunday, December 4. Over the duration of the tour, the Men in Blue are also expected to play in two Test matches.

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