KL Rahul’s Struggles Raise Concerns: India’s ‘Hardik Pandya’ Strategy Questioned, Gambhir Urged to Rethink Before Champions Trophy

Former cricketer Aakash Chopra has raised concerns over KL Rahul’s role despite India’s series win against England. With one game left before the Champions Trophy, he urged head coach Gautam Gambhir to make a decisive call. While debates continue over Rishabh Pant as the first-choice keeper, India has backed Rahul based on his stellar 2023 ODI World Cup performance, where he scored 452 runs at 75.33 in 10 innings.

However, Rahul’s recent struggles have sparked fresh discussions. In his last four innings, including games on the Sri Lanka tour in 2024, he has failed to make an impact. Since the World Cup, he has managed only 120 runs in six innings, with just one fifty and a duck to his name.

Chopra believes Rahul is not suited to the No. 6 position, where he has been playing against England. India has opted for left-handed Axar Patel at No. 5,pushing Rahul down the order.

He stated, “There’s still an ongoing development, but whether the Indian team can find a solution remains to be seen. KL Rahul is currently batting at No. 6, but is he the ideal choice for that position? That’s a major question. A left-hander is being sent ahead of him, and Rahul has struggled to score in both these matches as well as the two games he played in Sri Lanka. So what’s the next move?”

This has also resulted in Hardik Pandya being slotted at No. 7—a strategy Chopra labeled as ineffective.With one game left before the Champions Trophy, Chopra urged India to reconsider their combination. As a solution, he suggested Gambhir evaluate whether left-handed Rishabh Pant could be a better fit in place of Rahul.

“With this setup, Rahul at No. 6, Hardik at No. 7, and Jadeja at No. 8 it raises concerns. While Jadeja at No. 8 might still be acceptable, having Hardik at No. 7 seems too low for his batting abilities. This strategy doesn’t seem ideal. Is it time to bring in Rishabh Pant? He could be a better fit at No. 6 since the team already needs a left-hander in the lineup. India is still searching for the right balance, but time is running out,” he added.

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