Former Indian opener Gautam Gambhir feels KL Rahul has secured his position at No.4 as wicketkeeper-batter for the upcoming ODI World Cup 2023. Rahul has been in stellar form since his return to the playing XI in the ongoing Asia Cup 2023.
The flamboyant batter has been able to hit the strides as he scored a fine knock of 111 runs off just 106 balls against arch-rivals Pakistan while batting at number four. Rahul added an unbeaten third-wicket alliance of 233 runs with Virat Kohli and played a key role in helping India get past the 350-run mark.
The Karnataka batter also played a decent knock of 39 runs against Sri Lanka on a challenging wicket, which had all the assistance for the spinners and continued to impress with the bat. Rahul added 63 runs with Ishan Kishan, who scored 33 runs. In fact, the stylish batter looked comfortable at the crease and played against the Sri Lankan spinners with aplomb.
“I think the team management has made it very close that it’s going to be KL Rahul who would be keeping in the World Cup because there was Ishan Kishan, and if Kishan was in the scheme of things of playing on the 11th against Australia, then he would have kept,, wickets for India because he was the main wicket-keeper but now in the last two games KL Rahul has kept wicket,” Gautam Gambhir said on Star Sports.
Rahul has delivered the goods in the middle order and Gambhir added it will be interesting to note who bags the number five position. Ishan Kishan played a fine knock of 82 runs against Pakistan in the group stage match whereas Shreyas Iyer and Suryakumar Yadav are also waiting in the wings.
“So the number five position is now open. Whether Shreyas Iyer comes into it, whether they play Suryakumar at seven and Hardik at five or Jadeja at five, now KL Rahul has secured that number four spot as a wicketkeeper-batsman. So, it is pretty much clear, which is good for Indian cricket that they have backed KL Rahul as a wicketkeeper now and who’s batting at number four,” Gambhir added.
India will next take on Bangladesh on Friday whereas the Men in Blue will lock horns against either Pakistan or Sri Lanka on Sunday at the R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo.
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