KL Rahul denies disclosing his batting position for the Adelaide Test

KL Rahul has always been that one player who picks up the slack after a loss, collective or not. However, untethered by the noise that has been almost consistent throughout his career, Rahul has never been one to be rigid. When asked to open, Rahul is an opener. When the combination demands, the batter moves down the order, and when needed, he shows up with his wicket-keeping gloves. In form or in a slump, a player that flexible is an asset for any team, as highlighted by Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir right ahead of the Border Gavaskar Trophy.

Rahul, who lost his place to Sarfaraz Khan in the home Test series against New Zealand, came in handy as skipper Rohit Sharma missed the BGT opener while on paternity leave. Giving no semblance of being anyone’s replacement, Rahul played the role of an opener as if that had been his position in the team all along. Now, as Rohit returns to the combination for the Adelaide Test, fans and the cricket fraternity can only speculate about the batting order as Rahul denied disclosing it in his latest interaction.

KL Rahul assured of his batting position in the second Test of Border Gavaskar Trophy

The Perth Test bore witness to the resurgence of star Indian picks. While the much-awaited 81st ton of Virat Kohli happened, Rahul scripted a comeback of his own. Not even assured of a place in the playing XI ahead of the series, Rahul was picked as an opener in Rohit’s absence in Perth. Using the opportunity to its fullest, Rahul displayed his batting calibre as he knitted a match-winning partnership with Yashasvi Jaiswal. The knock, which concluded short of a ton, had it all. From Rahul’s tenacity to his ability to punish loose deliveries and the textbook straight drive that had the crowd in awe.

Now, with Rohit Sharma joining the squad for Adelaide, it remains to be seen if Rahul will be asked to transition yet again. While Rohit played down the order in the pink-ball practice match against PM XI, the cemented plans for the real Test remain under wraps. Moreover, with Shubman Gill regaining his fitness, the No.3 position is also locked, signaling that a shift would mean Rahul moving down to No.6 if Rohit reclaims the opening position.

However, the speculation game is ours to play, as Rahul has been cleared of any doubts by the management. In a press conference ahead of the day-night Adelaide Test, Rahul explained that while the team knows the batting order, it won’t be disclosed any sooner than December 6, the match day.

"I have been told (where I would bat), but I have also been told not to share it with you," Rahul said.

The ability of Rahul to play wherever the demand arises seems extraordinary to onlookers. For Rahul, it’s his way of vying for a place in the playing XI, his basic ask for the hard work he puts in. The seasoned wicketkeeper-batter explained that, over the years, batting around the world, he has understood his game quite well, and the shift to any batting position has grown seamless.

"I just want to be in the playing XI. Just fit me in. I wanna go out there and bat and play for the team. I just go there and try and see what I need to do to get runs in a particular situation. I want to keep my game as simple as I can,” Rahul expressed.

“Luckily, I have batted in different positions. Early on, when I was asked to bat at different positions, it was a bit of a challenge mentally. How to play those first 20-25 balls? What shots can I play? How early can I attack? Those things were a bit tricky earlier, but now that I have played in different formats all over the world, it has gotten better. I know the importance of getting through those first 25-30 balls," he added.

KL Rahul ready for his first pink ball challenge in Adelaide

With a 295-run victory in the opening game of the Border Gavaskar Trophy, India has earned a strong position in the series. However, the second Test is as challenging as it gets for the visitors. KL Rahul was not part of the team that fell to 36 all out when India last played the pink-ball Test in Adelaide. That means the 32-year-old will face his first day-night trial when he comes out at the Adelaide Oval on Friday.

"This will be my first pink-ball Test match. I don't have the game experience that some other players have in the team. It is just about speaking to the guys and getting to know what were the things that they found hard and how they managed to adjust and make changes. In practice, I felt that it was a little different in terms of how you watch this ball and pick it up from the bowler's hand,” KL Rahul explained as he gets ready to face the pink cherry against the Kangaroos.

In all possibilities, Devdutt Padikkal and Dhruv Jurel are out of India’s combination with the simultaneous return of Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill. Gill, who came up with a fifty in the practice match in Canberra, fits right back into his No.3 spot in the lineup. As for Rohit, it remains to be seen if he comes out with Jaiswal or moves down the order, where it all started back in 2013.