Crew India’s juggernaut continued to roll unabated on the 2023 ODI World Cup, sealing a spot within the summit conflict after a 70-run win over New Zealand in Mumbai.
Whereas the likes of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, together with the fast-bowling triumvirate, will obtain the majority of the plaudits for the crew’s efficiency this event, the remainder have executed their job impeccably, contributing to the crew’s whole domination.
One among these silent crusaders has been KL Rahul, who has donned a number of hats for the crew, discharging his duties admirably.
A stone-cold manner on the sphere and a steely resolve whereas helming the willow has been a continuing attribute throughout his near-flawless performances within the World Cup to date.
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In its first match of the continuing event, in Chennai, India bowled Australia out for 199 to take the sport by the scruff of the neck.
Nonetheless, Rahul discovered himself on the crease within the third over of the chase as India stumbled to 2 for 3, bringing again ghosts of the World Cup previous.
KL Rahul has scored greater than 1000 runs in positions 4 and 5 within the batting order for India, with a mean over fifty and a strike-rate over 90.
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AP
KL Rahul has scored greater than 1000 runs in positions 4 and 5 within the batting order for India, with a mean over fifty and a strike-rate over 90.
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AP
Kohli and Rahul then stitched a 165-run partnership from a spot of hassle, characterised by some professional rotation of strike, taking India to its first win of the event.
Rahul’s exasperation after being responsible of hitting the ball too properly, previous the boundary ropes, when he was on 91 not out with India needing 5 to win, was a spotlight of the sport.
The 31-year-old has added 289 additional runs since then, switching gears as per the calls for of the scenario he’s strolling into. He managed to get the hundred as properly, a document 63-ball one at that, within the remaining league recreation in opposition to the Netherlands.
In honesty, the credentials of Rahul the middle-order batter weren’t in a lot doubt earlier than the event. He has been India’s finest middle-order batter over the past couple of years.
He has scored greater than 1000 runs in positions 4 and 5 within the batting order for India, with a mean over fifty and a strike-rate over 90.
The uncertainty was in his wicket-keeping, a side for which he has confronted critique earlier than, particularly throughout his IPL stint with the Punjab Kings.
The harm to Rishabh Pant and the dearth of type of the opposite contenders left India in a conundrum in filling the spot behind the wickets, a scenario just like the early 2000s.
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A sure Rahul Dravid had put his hand up then, taking over the mantle within the 2003 World Cup too. Now, his namesake has executed the identical, volunteering to take up a spot that had been so safe in Indian cricket for one of the best a part of twenty years.
Rahul has performed a component in 16 dismissals for India on this World Cup, at a fee of 1.6 dismissals per match. He’s behind solely South Africa’s Quinton De Kock and the Netherlands’ Scott Edwards within the second metric.
Within the semifinal in opposition to New Zealand, Rahul snapped up 4 catches, together with the essential scalp of Rachin Ravindra, the Kiwis’ prime scorer this event.
Rahul has performed a component in 16 dismissals for India on this World Cup, at a fee of 1.6 dismissals per match.
| Picture Credit score:
AP
Rahul has performed a component in 16 dismissals for India on this World Cup, at a fee of 1.6 dismissals per match.
| Picture Credit score:
AP
The transformation of ODI cricket has seen an increase within the obligations of a wicketkeeper. The person behind the stumps is now entrusted with the added function of being a decide of DRS calls the fielding crew has to make.
Rahul has performed this function to near-perfection, bringing a relaxed head every time the captain has wanted his enter by the event. Rahul has stood his floor in opposition to essentially the most vociferous of appeals from the bowlers, a trait different keepers typically wrestle with.
On the similar time, he has executed properly on the different finish of the spectrum as properly. Sri Lanka’s Dushmantha Chameera gloved one down leg facet through the league stage contest on the Wankhede. There was no enchantment from any of the close-in fielders however Rahul satisfied the captain to go for a evaluation that proved profitable.
Rahul won’t be on the prime of the fantasy factors tables of the World Cup and even the ever-evolving influence factors charts, however there isn’t any denying his pivotal contribution to the crew’s success.
Amidst the multitude of characters he performs for the crew, just one stays, rolling his arm over. The dearth of part-timer bowlers would possibly even drive him to do it however hopefully, it doesn’t come to that.