Sanjay Bangar believes KL Rahul can greatly benefit India in Test cricket if he persists as a middle-order batsman.
In the absence of Rishabh Pant and Ishan Kishan in the ongoing Test series against South Africa, Rahul, functioning as a middle-order wicketkeeper-batsman, capitalized on the chance with a notable 101-run innings in the first Test at Centurion last week.
During an interview on Star Sports, Bangar expressed the view that KL Rahul maintaining his position in the middle order could be advantageous for India. He reasoned:
“If he has to continue playing in that particular position, I think it’s going to be a huge plus for India because he is a stroke player. He has batted at various positions and he can bat very well with the tail.”
The former India batting coach added:
“We have seen this not only in Test cricket but in other formats of the game as well. So all those things put together indeed make KL Rahul a capable No. 6 who can put India in winning situations in Test matches.”
Bangar highlighted that KL Rahul is expected to assume the role of a wicketkeeper-batsman in the middle order in the second Test against South Africa and the subsequent Test series against England.
However, he mentioned that in the upcoming season, the right-handed batsman may need to contend for a specialized middle-order batter position, especially with the potential return of Rishabh Pant to the squad.
“The start was not good” – Sanjay Bangar views on KL Rahul’s Boxing Day debut
Sanjay Bangar reminisced about KL Rahul’s less-than-ideal debut in the Boxing Day Test against Australia in 2014. He remarked:
“I was part of the dressing room when he got a chance in the Melbourne Test in 2014. He batted at No. 5 or No. 6 and was probably dismissed while playing the sweep shot in the first innings. So the start was not good.”
However, the ex-India all-rounder mentioned that the player from Karnataka has recorded centuries in his most recent two Boxing Day Tests. He observed:
“However, he scored centuries in the Boxing Day Tests of 2021 and 2023 in Centurion. If you perform well in any place, you have good memories of that place and when you go back to that place, your confidence is much better.”
Bangar believes that Rahul’s earlier century in Centurion would have positively influenced his performance when he returned to the venue for the recently concluded Test against South Africa.
He expressed optimism that the stylish batsman’s achievements extend beyond Boxing Day Tests, hoping he maintains the same form throughout the year.
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