India’s captain Rohit Sharma has confirmed that KL Rahul will continue to open the innings alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal in the second Test of the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia, set to begin in Adelaide on Friday, December 6.
Rohit missed the first Test in Perth to be with his family for the birth of his second child. In his absence, Rahul opened the innings and made the most of the opportunity, scoring 26 and 77. The 32-year-old, who had been dropped for the last two Tests against New Zealand at home, impressed with his technique in handling the tricky bounce in Perth.
Following his solid performance, a debate arose about where Rohit should bat when he returns for the pink-ball Test in Adelaide. While some suggested the captain should return to the top of the order, others argued that the team should continue to back Rahul as the opener.
Although Rahul remained tight-lipped during his press conference, Rohit put an end to the speculation on the eve of the Test match, confirming:
“K.L. Rahul will open, I will bat somewhere in the middle order.”
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KL Rahul’s Performance as an Opener in Test Matches
KL Rahul has opened the batting for India in 45 Test matches, accumulating 2,654 runs at an average of 35.38, including seven centuries. In home Tests, he has opened in 15 matches, scoring 869 runs at an average of 39.50, with one century.
His highest Test score remains 199, which he achieved against England in Chennai in December 2016. On foreign tours, Rahul has opened in 30 Test matches, amassing 1,785 runs at an average of 33.67, with six centuries.
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KL Rahul has scored 286 runs from five Tests as an opener in Australia, with one century and an average of 31.77. In winning Test matches as an opener, he has accumulated 1,692 runs at 36.78, including four centuries.
However, in losing causes, he has managed only 413 runs from 10 matches at an average of 20.65, with his best score being 149 against England at The Oval in 2018.
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