IND vs ZIM: KL Rahul captain – KL Rahul passed the all-important fitness test and has been elevated to captaincy for India’s tour of Zimbabwe. Rahul, who was out of action for three months due to injury and testing COVID positive is now fit and raring to go. The right-hand batter though has to change his style of play as skipper Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid have adopted an aggressive approach to batting. Rahul, who scores runs a lower strike rate, will now have to tweak his game a bit. Follow IND vs ZIM Live Updates with InsideSport.IN.
- India has adopted an ultra-aggressive approach to batting. Rahul has to go bang from word go.
- The right-hand batter also has to do well as skipper as Hardik Pandya is breathing down his neck due to his stellar form.
- If Rahul, bats in the middle-order he has to help team finish games.
IND vs ZIM: KL Rahul appointed as captain, three things he needs to do to fit in Rohit Sharma-Rahul Dravid’s aggressive approach to batting
IND vs ZIM: Acid test for KL Rahul as three ODIs against Zimbabwe to decide his form for Asia Cup
While there is no doubt regarding Rahul’s humongous talent, often his approach has been criticized. Rahul takes time before he accelerates. But in this process, his strike rate takes a beating. Against Zimbabwe, he has a chance to change that method and bat dynamically.
1. Aggressive batting and providing blistering starts
Rahul scored 616 runs in 15 matches in IPL 2022 season for LSG. But his strike rate was 135.38 as an opening batter. The skipper coped a fair bit of criticism and experts made a scathing attack as his slow batting resulted in LSG’s loss in the eliminator match against RCB. After the RCB match, Rahul was injured and since then a lot has changed. Rohit and Rahul Dravid now want the team to bat aggressively in ODIs and T20.
India adopted the same approach during England and West Indies tour, and it worked. Rahul will now have to mix caution with aggression and provide the team with blazing starts. Notably, the 31-year-old has to bat aggressively and consistently score runs at a strike rate of 140. If the right-hand batter manages to do that in the three ODIs against Zimbabwe, then no one can question his place in Asia Cup.
IND vs ZIM: KL Rahul appointed as captain, three things he needs to do to fit in Rohit Sharma-Rahul Dravid’s aggressive approach to batting
2. Rahul’s leadership skills at the forefront
The BCCI selectors were to monitor Rahul’s leadership during the T20 series against South Africa. Selectors could not watch him closely due to he being out of action. But now, they will monitor his leadership skills against Zimbabwe. Rahul is yet to win as a captain as he lost all four matches against South Africa.
With Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya also in contention for vice-captaincy, Rahul will have to do well as a skipper. He led LSG to the playoffs in IPL 2022, and that should stand him in good stead. The right-hand batter will have Shikhar Dhawan as vice-captain. He can take inputs and try to get the best out of the players.
3. Rahul to bat in the middle-order or as an opener?
With Shubman Gill and Ruturaj Gaikwad in the team as backup openers, it remains to be seen where Rahul bats during the ODI series against Zimbabwe. He has batted in the middle order in ODIs and has good record scoring 1000 runs at an average of 40. But he is also pretty flexible and has opened for India in white-ball formats. With Rishabh Pant not there during the Zimbabwe series, the middle-order looks slightly shaky.
Rahul can beef up the middle order and help India finish the gams well. He is also a good player of spin and can switch gears seamlessly.
IND vs ZIM: KL Rahul appointed as captain, three things he needs to do to fit in Rohit Sharma-Rahul Dravid’s aggressive approach to batting
Editors pick
