"After Opening In Australia...": KL Rahul Gives Honest Thoughts On Demotion To No. 6

Since becoming a full-time number 5 in ODIs, KL Rahul has expanded his range as a middle-order batter. Since 2020, he has averaged 61.52 in that position--higher than anyone else with a minimum of 20 innings, including Heinrich Klaasen, whose average is nearly seven points lower. However, leading up to the Champions Trophy, India wanted to introduce variety in their right-hand-heavy lineup and decided to promote Axar Patel to No. 5. As a result, Rahul shifted down to No. 6 but has quickly adapted, working extensively on his power-hitting.

"Yeah, I do [enjoy batting at the top], I mean I won't lie," Rahul told Star Sports, as quoted from ESPNcricinfo.

"It's after opening the batting in Australia in Test matches and having to face that attack in Australia and you know how red-ball [cricket] is much harder. I opened the batting there and then to come here and bat low seems a bit different, but this is how I've played white-ball cricket in the last four-five years," he added.

"So, I'm quite used to going up and down the order so I'm just happy getting a chance to play in the middle and whatever role is given, I think it's really helped me understand my game a lot more and I've had to work on boundary hitting a lot more in the last year or so because the last ODI we played in Sri Lanka I batted at No. 6, so I knew that's where I'll be batting and [we] needed a left-hander in the top order," he noted.

Before the Champions Trophy, there was a debate over whether Rahul or Rishabh Pant should take the wicketkeeper-batter slot, but the team ultimately stuck with Rahul. On Tuesday, he walked in after Axar's dismissal, with India needing 86 runs from 15 overs and six wickets on a challenging Dubai surface. When Virat Kohli fell for