‘He should bat at No. 4 or 5, not 6’ - Kris Srikkanth questions India’s KL Rahul experimentation

Former India captain and 1983 World Cup winner Kris Srikkanth has raised concerns over the batting position of KL Rahul during India’s ongoing ODI series against Afghanistan. While India have already secured an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series, Srikkanth believes the team management’s handling of Rahul’s role in the middle order is far from ideal.

Rahul batted at No. 5 in the opening ODI and played a crucial finishing role, scoring an unbeaten 39 off just 19 deliveries to guide India to victory. However, in the second ODI in Lucknow, the wicketkeeper-batter was pushed down to No. 6 and was dismissed without opening his account.

Reacting to the move, Srikkanth stated that batting Rahul at No. 6 does not benefit either the player or the team. The former opener suggested that Rahul should be given a more consistent role higher up the order.

Srikkanth emphasised that Rahul is best suited to bat at No. 4 or No. 5 and urged the selectors to adopt a rotation policy while experimenting with players ahead of major tournaments.

“It is not good for KL Rahul and the team if he is batting at six. In my opinion, he must bat at four or five maximum. They can follow a rotation policy, rest the certainties in some matches, give opportunities to others, and then finalise the squad,” Srikkanth said on his YouTube channel.

With the ODI World Cup preparations gathering pace, India have been testing various combinations. However, Srikkanth believes experimentation should not come at the cost of disrupting the roles of established players.

The former India skipper also questioned the scheduling of the Afghanistan series immediately after a hectic cricket calendar that included the IPL and the T20 World Cup.

Following the second ODI, which was played in challenging weather conditions in Lucknow, Srikkanth argued that Indian players deserve a proper break rather than continuing with another international assignment in June.

He highlighted the importance of rest, family time, and mental recovery, suggesting that the men’s team should ideally have a month-long break after the IPL season.

“Afghanistan is not a great team really. It is unfortunate that the players now have to play in Chennai as well, where conditions will be extremely hot. I don’t think international cricket should be scheduled in June immediately after the IPL and the T20 World Cup. The Women’s T20 World Cup is currently going on, so the focus can be on that tournament. There should be at least a one-month break after the IPL. Players need family time, holidays, and most importantly, a mental break,” he concluded.

India will take on Afghanistan in the third and final ODI in Chennai on June 20, aiming to complete a clean sweep.