India head coach Gautam Gambhir recently confirmed that uncapped Abhimanyu Easwaran and KL Rahul will be the backup openers during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in case of Rohit Sharma’s absence, but India should gamble with other options - writes Sarah Waris.
With India skipper Rohit Sharma likely to miss the start of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for personal reasons, the selectors have brought in Abhimanyu Easwaran as a backup option. KL Rahul, who has previously alternated between opening and middle-order roles, has also been shortlisted as a possible partner for Yashasvi Jaiswal at the top.
As the curtain-raiser is played out in Perth, India will be hopeful of sending out a strong statement early on, with the top-order batters setting the tone for what promises to be a long and challenging series. A confident, resilient opening pair who can withstand the opposition's attack in challenging conditions will send a clear message to the hosts: despite a recent home series loss and looming transitions, India are here to compete - and to fight.
Neither Easwaran nor Rahul, however, seem well-suited for the responsibility on current form.
Rahuls’ Test career has been one wrought with promise and unfulfilled potential. He has played some incredible knocks, the latest being an unassuming ton at Centurion, but then has gone periods looking like Euron Greyjoy from the TV series Games of Thrones, a complete misfit, lacking the depth and menace that defined him in the novels.
His century against South Africa came while batting at No.6, a position he was assigned following inconsistent performances as an opener. Since his impressive stint as a last-minute opener replacement in England in 2021, where he bravely faced 735 deliveries over eight innings, Rahul’s fortunes have taken a downturn.
Following that series, Rahul has opened 13 Test innings, scoring 321 runs at an average of 24.69. This includes scores of 123 and 50 in South Africa, but without those, his numbers are even more underwhelming. His struggles against fast bowlers have been evident during this period. In England, more than just an average of 37.5 against pace, his performance was notable for the way he stood firm against the home side's pacers. However, since then, his technique against fast bowlers has declined, averaging 30.8 overall. Frequent injuries have further hindered his ability to make a lasting comeback.
Rahul was recently left out of the XI against New Zealand, with Sarfaraz Khan taking his place, despite Rohit Sharma previously stating his intention to have Rahul “play all games” during the home season.
Instead, Rahul was sent to play for India A in Australia, possibly to get him used to facing the new ball, indicating he might open in Rohit’s absence. However, his scores of 10 and 4, and an embarrassing dismissal in the second innings, drew attention. His expression after being bowled between his legs reflected his ongoing battle with self-belief, compounded by his recent release from his IPL team. In essence, Rahul continues to struggle to inspire confidence in his role.
