IND vs AUS: KL Rahul – a silver lining in India’s batting cloud

KL Rahul scored 84 at the Gabba where other batters struggled to get going. (X/DelhiCapitals)

As the fourth day's play began at the Gabba on Tuesday, KL Rahul got a massive slice of luck. Pat Cummins made one rear off a length in the corridor, and the Indian opener jabbed at it. It was an aberration to the way Rahul has been playing in this series. Then again, it was the first ball of the day and Cummins’ brilliance forced the error. From India’s perspective, fortune favoured the brave, with Steve Smith dropping a sitter, and Rahul went on to score 84.

So far, the 32-year-old has scored 231 runs in five innings in the ongoing series. He has looked the most assured of the Indian batsmen. What is separating him from the rest? To start with, Rahul has been showing impeccable judgment outside off stump. He is leaving a lot of deliveries, prompting the bowlers to do something different. And he is giving a masterclass of playing with soft hands.

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Rahul is also playing late and close to his body. The hardest thing for a batsman in these conditions is to score the first 30 runs. After that, the new variant of the Kookaburra ball stops moving and run-scoring becomes easier. Rahul would be disappointed not to score a century at the Gabba, after Smith redeemed himself with a blinder off Nathan Lyon. But without his effort, India invariably would have been batting in their second innings by now. His innings, and a 67-run sixth wicket partnership with the excellent Ravindra Jadeja, has given the tourists an outside chance to save this Test, with the help of rain.

Rahul is probably one of the most misunderstood cricketers in this Indian team. There's a perception that he is not a team player. Nothing could be far from the truth. He is always there for the team, be it opening the innings or batting down the order, and sometimes even keeping wicket. Yes, an average of 34 over 55 Tests attests to inconsistency. At the same time, he has scored runs and centuries everywhere, in tough conditions.

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At the start of the season, the Indian team management decided that Rahul would bat at No. 6 in Tests. But he was made the fall guy for India’s 46 all out against New Zealand in Bangalore. And in Australia, when Rohit Sharma decided to skip the first Test due to personal reasons, Rahul was asked to open the innings at the fiery Optus Stadium. The Indian team has a designated reserve opener in Abhimanyu Easwaran. That he is not even in conversation as regards the playing XI suggests a selection mistake.

Coming back to Rahul, he stood up to be counted. “How many teams have a player like KL,” India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir had said ahead of the series. The series is proving to be a redemption for the batsman.

He has been quietly doing the job. He is doing others’ dirty work, à la Cheteshwar Pujara in 2018-19 and 2020-21. Unfortunately, the current Indian team has too many passengers.