Ravi Shastri Clarifies KL Rahul’s Test Batting Role After Century Against West Indies
During India’s Test clash against the West Indies in Ahmedabad, former India coach Ravi Shastri addressed misconceptions surrounding KL Rahul’s inconsistent performances. Many have suggested that Rahul’s middling numbers in Tests were due to frequent changes in the batting order, but Shastri clarified that the batter has largely been given a stable role.
On Friday, Rahul celebrated his 11th Test century, marking his most successful calendar year in the format. Despite injuries and past inconsistencies, Rahul ended a long home century drought that had lasted 3,211 days since his 199 against England in Chennai in December 2016. In that span, he had gone 16 consecutive Tests at home without a century, while continuing to perform strongly overseas, particularly in SENA conditions.
This year, Rahul finally produced a landmark series in England, scoring his first-ever 500-run series with two centuries and two fifties during the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.
Shastri highlighted that Rahul’s performance should not be attributed to batting order changes. “It’s a misconception that he has gone up and down the order. If you actually look at his career since that Test, he has opened in 94 out of 110 innings,” Shastri said during commentary on Day 2 before the lunch break.
The 33-year-old’s century in Ahmedabad not only ended a long wait at home but also reinforced his reputation as one of India’s dependable batsmen, particularly at the top of the order.