Is KL Rahul in line to finally lead India after Virat and Rohit

After Virat Kohli made announcement that he’ll step down as India’s T20I captain on Thursday, it despatched shock waves throughout the cricketing panorama. With Rohit Sharma more likely to step up subsequent, one identify which may make a case for the skipper position within the not-so-distant future is KL Rahul. There is a way of Déjà vu to the proceedings as Rahul had made his Test debut within the 2014 Boxing Day Test on the Melbourne Cricket Ground by changing Rohit.
At a comparatively younger age of 29, KL Rahul is already within the working to be one of many shining lights in India’s future. If specialists are to be believed, he would possibly someday even put on the mantle of India’s captain.
Sunil Gavaskar stated on Thursday that India ought to groom Rahul as a future captain and desires the BCCI to make the trendy right-handed batsman India’s vice-captain in the intervening time.
“It’s a good thing that the BCCI is looking ahead. It’s important to think ahead,” Gavaskar was quoted as saying by Sports Tak.
“If India are looking to groom a new captain, then KL Rahul can be looked at. He has performed well. Even now in England, his batting was very good. He has been performing well in IPL and 50-overs cricket as well at the international stage. He can be made vice-captain,” added Gavaskar.
Throughout his profession, Rahul has all the time drawn reward for his performances from the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid in addition to Chris Gayle and Brian Lara which bodes nicely for the cricketer’s future.
Rahul is the primary Indian to attain a century on One Day International debut when he scored an unbeaten ton towards Zimbabwe in 2016. He additionally joined an elite membership when he grew to become solely the third Indian to attain a century in all three codecs of worldwide cricket after an unbeaten 110 towards West Indies in a T20 match, propelling himself alongside fashionable Indian stalwarts Suresh Raina and Rohit Sharma.
Rahul had began cricket coaching on the age of 10 and made his first-class cricket debut for Karnataka within the 2010–11 season and in the identical season, he represented his nation on the 2010 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup, scoring a complete of 143 runs.
His take a look at debut on the MCG, nevertheless, was an event to overlook as he simply made three runs within the first innings and within the second innings, made only one run. He had a dramatic redemption within the subsequent Test match at Sydney as he stroked his option to a affected person century, proving that he belongs to the nationwide aspect.

Time to Take over the World @klrahul11 🔥💉❤️ pic.twitter.com/WX802bW5UR
— Sonu (@71willcome) September 16, 2021
IPL journey
Rahul began his IPL profession for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in 2013 however was purchased by the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)in 2014, earlier than returning to RCB forward of the 2016 IPL season. He completed the season because the eleventh highest run-scorer, and RCB’s third, with 397 runs from 14 matches.
In 2018, he was purchased by Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) for Rs 11 crore and within the crew’s first match of the season towards Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals), he scored the quickest 50 in IPL historical past, taking 14 balls to succeed in the milestone and breaking the file of Sunil Narine.
Rahul was named captain of the Kings XI Punjab for the 2020 IPL, after Ravichandran Ashwin was traded to Delhi Capitals and gained the Orange Cap for scoring most runs (670) in the complete season.
With the 2021 IPL season set to renew on Sunday, Rahul seems to win his maiden IPL title along with his crew.
World Cup 2019 and 2020 Australia tour
Rahul was named in India’s squad for the 2019 Cricket World Cup and scored his maiden hundred for India within the World Cup towards Sri Lanka and final yr, he was named the vice-captain for the One Day International and Twenty20 International collection of India towards Australia the place he made 77 within the second ODI and 51 within the 1st T20I.
Rahul vs Rishabh
Rahul, nevertheless, has powerful competitors from a resurgent Rishabh Pant who seems to cement his place as India’s go to wicketkeeper batsman. With Pant respiratory down his neck after his heroics within the Border-Gavaskar Trophy earlier within the yr, Rahul replied with implausible performances within the lately concluded collection vs England.
Both are captains of their respective IPL franchises for this version’s match and each shall be vying for that elusive trophy so as to safe their place within the Indian crew in addition to the annals of Indian cricketing lore.