KL Rahul: The unsung hero of India's dominant World Cup 2023 campaign
While Virat Kohli and Mohammed Shami have been the clear standout performers for India in the 2023 ODI World Cup, the crucial contributions of wicket-keeping batter KL Rahul have gone under the radar.
In Short
- KL Rahul has registered 16 dismissals in World Cup 2023
- Rahul has scored 386 runs in 10 matches in CWC 2023
- India beat New Zealand to advance to the final of World Cup 2023
India has advanced to the final of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 by defeating New Zealand by 70 runs in the semi-final at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Wednesday, November 15.
While Virat Kohli and Mohammed Shami have been the clear standout performers for the Men in Blue, the crucial contributions of wicket-keeping batter KL Rahul have gone under the radar. The 31-year-old has been immaculate for India behind the stumps and also with the bat throughout the tournament.
KL RAHUL THE WICKET-KEEPER
Rahul, who came into the side as a part-time wicket-keeper, following Rishabh Pant’s horrific accident in December last year. Since making his ODI debut in 2016, Rahul had only kept the wickets on 14 occasions. However, following Pant’s injury, Rahul was thrust into the role and has gone on to keep the wickets in 18 matches this year.
In fact, Rahul had to mould himself in this new role as he sustained a long-term injury while captaining Lucknow Super Giants in the 2023 Indian Premier League, which kept him out of action in international cricket for three months.
After being injured in May, Rahul joined the Indian team in September mid-way during the 2023 Asia Cup. He took the mantle of becoming India’s first-choice wicket-keeper, pipping the young Ishan Kishan, and has since made the position his own.
Rahul has taken impressive catches throughout the tournament, including a brilliant diving catch to dismiss the dangerous Devon Conway in a crucial stage in the semi-final.
In the 2023 ODI World Cup, Rahul has taken 15 catches behind the stumps while registering a solitary stumping. His record as a wicket-keeper is second only to South Africa’s Quinton de Kock in the 2023 ODI World Cup.
KL RAHUL THE DRS EXPERT
Rahul’s dominant display behind the stumps hasn’t been limited to catches and stumpings. The LSG skipper has been pivotal while taking Decision Review System (DRS) calls in the 2023 World Cup.
Rahul’s decision to overturn the umpire’s decision against Sri Lanka pops up in mind at once. The wicket-keeper wanted India to review following Mohammed Shami’s to Dushmanta Chameera, in which neither the bowler nor skipper Rohit Sharma were interested. He convinced Rohit to take the review and India ended up claiming the eighth wicket to effectively kill the clash.
Following their win over Sri Lanka, Rohit said that he has left the DRS calls to the bowlers and Rahul, showing the trust he's gained, having made several successful DRS calls from behind the stumps.
“I have left it to the bowler and the keeper (whether or not to take a review) to make that decision for me, and I’ve got to find the individuals I can trust and I know it can go the other way as well,” said Rohit.
KL RAHUL THE BATTER
While Rahul has been immaculate with the gloves on, he has been no dud with the bat in hand. Rahul has scored 386 runs in nine innings at an average of 77.20 while striking at 98.72. Coming in at number 5, Rahul has held the Indian innings together on several occasions in this World Cup.
He played a match-winning knock against Australia in India’s opening match when the hosts found themselves reeling at 2 for 3. He formed a 165-run stand with Kohli and scored an unbeaten 97 to guide India to a famous win in Chennai.
He hit a century against the Netherlands in Bengaluru before playing a crucial knock of 39 runs off 20 balls to help India post a mammoth 397-run total in the first innings.
Rahul came late in the innings and took the attack to the Kiwis, smashing five boundaries and two sixes. His knock helped India gain the psychological advantage of posting a total close to 400 as they managed to register a 70-run win, which could have gone down the wire had Rahul not played his role to perfection.
Having borne the brunt of criticism coming into the ODI World Cup, Rahul has turned the frown and opinions of millions of fans and experts around with phenomenal displays in the ODI World Cup.
With India in the final, Rahul will be hoping to ingrain his name in the long and rich history of Indian cricket by winning the third ODI World Cup title for his nation in Ahmedabad.