KL Rahul made his first appearance in the series against the West Indies during the third and final ODI, stepping onto the field with 25 overs remaining. At 34 years old, his role as a middle-order batsman and wicketkeeper, positioned behind three prominent white-ball players, limits his opportunities at the top of the order and leaves little room for error. Despite the pressures, Rahul rarely voices complaints, even amid constant evaluation of his performances.
A shaky start during the England tour in July contributed to the scrutiny surrounding him. He scored just 1 run in the series opener in Birmingham and missed the second match in Cardiff due to what was described as an “illness,” with Ishan Kishan taking his place.
When Rahul returned for the series decider at Lord’s, Kishan retained the wicketkeeping gloves. Kishan’s impressive performances throughout the season, including significant runs at the T20 World Cup and a century in his ODI comeback against Afghanistan, shifted the spotlight towards him. Like Rahul, Kishan is a flexible keeper-batter but brings the added advantage of being a left-hander, a key element missing in India’s strong batting lineup.
Over the past two seasons, the team’s management has taken risks by opting for left-handed bowling all-rounders in a flexible role between the fifth and seventh positions. This experiment has forced Rahul to frequently shift his batting position, which has affected his consistency. In the last year, he has batted at number six on seven occasions and has occupied his designated number five position from the previous ODI World Cup five times. The absence of Hardik Pandya has further complicated matters, creating a gap in power-hitting within the lower order.
On Saturday at the PCA Stadium in New Chandigarh, Rahul quelled doubts regarding India’s middle-order stability by delivering a career-best performance, scoring an unbeaten 129 off 87 balls—the ninth century of his ODI career. This innings not only showcased his finishing abilities but also set several important benchmarks.
Coming to bat at 141 for three during the 25th over, following the dismissal of Rohit Sharma, Rahul quickly shook off any lingering rustiness on a pitch that was becoming increasingly difficult for batting. The older ball after the 34th over typically makes scoring challenging in ODIs, and with Rahul not being as explosive as Pandya, he had to rely on his skill set.
However, Rahul demonstrated his white-ball acumen, indicating that concerns about his role may be unfounded as the World Cup approaches. The memories of the 2023 Ahmedabad final continue to shadow his reputation, but he has proven himself to be much more than that solitary disappointing match.
By the time he faced his 25th delivery, Rahul’s strike rate exceeded 100, thanks to a powerful boundary off Jayden Seales, who had earlier dismissed both Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli with impressive deliveries. He maintained momentum with a series of skillful cuts and drives on the off-side.
His cautious approach to aerial shots remained until late in the innings when he shifted gears dramatically. In the 48th over, he struck Alzarri Joseph over mid-wicket, and within five balls, he celebrated his fifth ODI century with a powerful hook over the fine-leg boundary, followed by another six. His final ten deliveries included four sixes and a four, pushing India to a formidable total as they attempted to set a target for the series.
Rahul matched his personal best for sixes in an ODI innings, equaling the count of six achieved during one of his earlier performances against New Zealand in 2020. His century off 80 balls marked the second-fastest of his career in the middle-order, surpassed only by a rapid 62-ball century against the Netherlands in 2023.
Across 36 innings at number five, Rahul boasts an impressive average of 68.58. He stands alongside South Africa’s AB de Villiers as the only batsman to achieve a higher average in this position. Rahul has accumulated as many centuries (four) as MS Dhoni and is just one behind Yuvraj Singh’s five. His scoring rate also surpasses theirs, placing him in an exclusive group of four players who maintain a batting average above 50 and a strike rate above 100 at number five, alongside de Villiers, Marlon Samuels, and Angelo Mathews. The one-ball rule introduced in July 2025 has not negatively impacted his performance; in fact, he has thrived, averaging 87 with 387 runs, making him the highest scorer in the 35-50 over phase during this time frame, with a strike rate of 144.40.
Saturday’s performance underscored Rahul’s evolving prowess as a middle-order batsman, indicating he is approaching his peak and solidifying his position as India’s primary wicketkeeper, ideally at number five.
