KL Rahul's woes in red-ball cricket continue in Australia
KL Rahul's batting woes continued in the second innings of the unofficial Test against Australia A at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. He could only manage 10 runs off 44 balls, after a dismal first-innings score of just four. This underwhelming performance comes as Rohit Sharma is likely to miss the first Test against Australia in Perth, possibly paving the way for Rahul at the top of the order.
Rahul's dismissal raises concerns ahead of Border-Gavaskar Trophy
Rahul was dismissed in an unusual manner by off-spinner Corey Rocchiccioli, who bowled him out between his legs due to a misjudgment. This comes after a strong delivery from Scott Boland took him out in the first innings. His recent form could impact his chances of being included in the playing XI for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against Australia.
Rahul's inconsistent performance impacts selection prospects
Notably, Rahul was dropped from the India XI for the second and third Tests against New Zealand, further emphasizing his need to impress at the MCG. However, his inconsistent performance has possibly dented his position in the pecking order. In two Tests against Bangladesh, he managed scores of 16, 22*, and 68. He was dropped from the XI after managing 0 and 12 in the opening Test versusNew Zealand.
Rahul's past performance in Australia could influence selection
Besides his current form, Rahul's past in Australia could play a role in his selection. The versatile batsman has played five Tests in Australia, scoring just 187 runs at an average of 20.77. His highest score was 110 at the Sydney Cricket Ground in 2015. However, apart from that century, his contributions have been meek with just one instance of crossing the 25-run mark in his last 12 innings.
Rahul's return as opener for India-A marked by early dismissal
Rahul's return as an opener for India-A against Australia-A in Melbourne was marred by an early dismissal for just four runs. This added to his recent batting woes and put India-A on the back foot. Since 2022, Rahul has scored 514 runs in Tests from 12 matches (21 innings) at an average of 25.7, registering three half centuries and a century.
The Rohit Sharma conundrum
After India's 0-3 sweep against New Zealand in Mumbai, Rohit had said he was unsure about playing the series opener against Australia. If he misses out, either Rahul or Abhimanyu Easwaran will open with Yashasvi Jaiswal. Notably, Easwaran, who is uncapped in international cricket, managed 0 and 17 in the unofficial Test. Hence, Rahul might get a go despite being out of form.
