Here's how KL Rahul became India's crisis man
What's the story
KL Rahul's cricketing journey has been remarkable but topsy-turvy at the same time. Change has been the only constant for the wicketkeeper-batter, as he has donned several roles in his international career. Once he was India's mainstay opener in Tests and T20Is but a middle-order keeper in ODI cricket. This is indeed versatility at another level. On this note, we look at how Rahul emerged as India's crisis man.
Career evolution
Fluctuating batting positions
Rahul made his Team India debut in the 2014-15 Test series in Australia.
The batter announced himself with a stunning hundred in his second Test in Sydney.
His T20I and ODI debuts came in 2016.
While Rahul became the first Indian to hammer an ODI hundred on debut, he took four innings to score a T20I hundred.
This brilliant start earned him the title of the 'next big thing in world cricket.'
Versatile player
The challenge of finding a settled spot
Rahul's entry into the national team was during a time when Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma were already an established opening pair in white-ball cricket.
The then youngster, hence, struggled to find a permanent place in the team due to their dominance.
At the 2019 World Cup, he started at No.4 but was promoted to the opening slot halfway through the competition, with Dhawan ruled out.
He enjoyed a decent campaign and even scored a century versus Sri Lanka.
Struggles
Struggles in Tests
Despite enjoying a decent 2019 WC campaign, Rahul was benched for India's next ODI assignment, against WI, as Dhawan returned to the fold.
Subsequently, he was dropped from the Test team after enduring a tough run in the format.
In 2019, his childhood coach, Samuel Jayaraj, revealed that Rahul was disturbed when he didn't have a permanent batting position, but slowly adjusted to it.
Adaptability
Rahul's shift to the middle order
Despite his red-ball struggles, Rahul enjoyed a fine run as India's ODI and T20I opener in the latter half of 2019.
However, he had to shift to number three in the opener of the 2020 ODI series against Australia amid Dhawan's return.
An injury to Rishabh Pant meant Rahul donned the gloves in the second game and batted at five, scoring a fiery 80.
The latter further opened in the series finale as Dhawan could not bat due to an injury.
Brilliance
Rahul aced all roles
As Rahul aced the number-five job in ODIs, he became India's first-choice keeper in the format.
However, a lean run in Test and T20Is led to his removal from the formats.
He returned to the Test XI for the tough 2023-24 Test tour of South Africa.
Batting at six, he hit a fine hundred as a designated keeper in the first Test.
He then batted at four in the opener of India's next Test assignment, against England, in Virat Kohli's absence.
Opening
Rahul's return to the opening position
In Rohit Sharma's absence, Rahul returned as an opener for the 2024-25 Test series against Australia.
He aced the role and played fine knocks in the first two Tests.
However, he had to drop down once again when captain Rohit decided to take the opening slot back.
The latter had a tough run in that series, which eventually resulted in his Test retirement.
Rahul has since been India's mainstay Test opener.
Roles
A man of all seasons
Rahul has also led India at times in the absence of first choice captains.
Despite his adaptability and stellar performances, Rahul has often found himself sidelined or questioned about his place in the team.
He batted at six in India's triumphant 2025 Champions Trophy campaign, but did well in that role as well.
This reflects the challenges of being a multi-talented player who can fill multiple roles but doesn't have a fixed position to call his own.
Pressure cooker
Constant pressure and the away game challenge
Rahul has always been picked for tough tours, where conditions are challenging.
However, he has had to earn his place every time, sometimes even after doing well.
This constant pressure to perform has made his position uncertain.
He has scored more centuries outside India than at home - a stat that reflects both his technique and the conditions in which he's been asked to prove himself.
Quiet achiever
Records that define Rahul's quiet brilliance
Despite the pressure, Rahul has quietly broken records that even his harshest critics overlook.
He once had seven consecutive Test fifties - a record no other Indian has matched.
He has played key roles in overseas wins and changed formats, roles, and positions without complaint.
However, he gets the spotlight only when he fails.
The mental weight of not being a first-choice player but too good to leave out explains why his average doesn't reflect his value.