IND v WI 2022: KL Rahul Needs To Bat In The Middle Order Against West Indies, I Feel He Will Put Some Pressure On Rishabh Pant As Well - Aakash Chopra

Former India opener said that white-ball vice-captain KL Rahul needs to revert back to the middle order in the upcoming ODI series against the West Indies to give the Indian team the strength and possibly put pressure on Rishabh Pant to be more consistent in making runs.

Rahul batted at the top of the order for Team India in the recently concluded ODI series against South Africa, in which the visitors lost 0-2. However, with Rohit Sharma back in the Indian team and likely to open with Shikhar Dhawan, the Indian vice-captain will have to bat down the order.

The three-match ODI series between India and West Indies will begin on February 6 and all three matches will be played in the Narendra Modi Stadium in Motera, Ahmedabad.

He [KL Rahul] Will Have To Play In The Middle Order Now: Aakash Chopra

Aakash Chopra opined during a discussion on the Star Sports show “Game Plan” that KL Rahul will serve the Indian team well while batting in the middle order and it would be best for Team India with the World Cup in mind.

“The World Cup is one-and-a-half years away and we have seen a lot of things change in three months, this has been the story of Indian cricket of late. He [Rahul] will have to play in the middle order now. When he plays in the middle order, I feel he will put some pressure on Rishabh Pant as well,” he said.

“He [Pant] will need to be consistent. You can kill two birds with one stone because when KL Rahul had batted in the middle order in ODI cricket, he was playing as a wicketkeeper. He had performed that role well although he was given a chance to do that in very few matches,” Chopra added.

Rahul has played nine ODIs for Team India as a wicketkeeper-batter. He has amassed 458 runs at an outstanding average of 65.42 in these matches, which includes a century against New Zealand.

Aakash Chopra also said that KL Rahul can bat at no.4 if Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan open the innings and Virat Kohli bats at no. 3.

Also Read: Rishabh Pant Can Go From An A Contract To An A+ One – Nikhil Chopra