Dinesh Karthik advocates for KL Rahul's backing as Test opener
Ex-Indian wicketkeeper, Dinesh Karthik, has urged the team management to keep backing KL Rahul as the first-choice opening batter in Test cricket. He stressed that Rahul's contributions, especially in overseas Test matches, are often ignored. "I hope they continue to back him. If, within the next year, there's a series where he has a couple of low scores, I hope people don't have short memories," Karthik told Cricbuzz.
Rahul's impressive performance in Perth Test
Notably, Rahul has recently reclaimed his spot as the first-choice opening batter in Test cricket. Originally picked for a middle-order position, he was promoted after Rohit Sharma's absence in the series opener in Perth. Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal proved to be a lethal combination at the top of the order, scoring a match-winning 201-run partnership in the second innings of this Test.
Rahul's consistency in opening role
Even after Rohit returned for the second Test in Adelaide, Rahul kept his place as opener with Jaiswal. Even as Sharma struggled in the lower middle order, Rahul cemented his name with a match-saving 84-run knock in the first innings of the third Test at Brisbane. "We need to appreciate what he has done and what he is doing today," Karthik added.
Rahul's in 2024-25 BGT and his stats since 2021 (SENA)
Notably, Rahul has been India's top run-scorer in the ongoing 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, having scored 235 runs in six innings at an average of 47. His scores read: 26, 77, 37, 7, 84 and 4*. As per ESPNcricinfo, since the start of 2021, Rahul has bagged 889 runs (including three centuries) at an average of 40.40 in SENA countries (South Africa, England, New Zealand and Australia). He has played 12 Test matches since 2021 in SENA, having faced 1,944 deliveries.
Gavaskar praises Rahul's off-side judgment
Rahul's calm 84-run knock in the third Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia earned high praise from batting legend Sunil Gavaskar, who compared Rahul's off-side judgment to that of former Indian opener Murali Vijay. "Except for the first ball today, where he slightly followed the delivery, his judgment outside off-stump was fantastic," Gavaskar said.
