Rahul ready to bat anywhere for India in second Test

There are question marks over Rahul's position in the batting order after the expected return of Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill for the second Test

By AFP

Published: Wed 4 Dec 2024, 10:54 AM

KL Rahul said on Wednesday he will bat "wherever" as India face a conundrum in the second Test against Australia with the expected return of Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill.

The 54-Test veteran opened in the first Test at Perth, which India won by 295 runs, alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal in the absence of skipper Rohit, who stayed home for the birth of his second child.

Number three Gill also missed the match with a thumb injury, but both are set to return for the day-night clash starting in Adelaide on Friday, leaving selectors with a headache.

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Rahul and Jaiswal shared a 201-run second innings opening partnership in Perth that proved pivotal in securing victory with both again set to pad-up.

Devdutt Padikkal and Dhruv Jurel appear likely to make way for Rohit and Gill, but who bats where remains to be seen.

"I've been told, but I've also been told not to share it," Rahul told reporters when asked if he knew what position he would be batting in Adelaide.

"I just want to be in the playing XI. Fit me in wherever. I want to go out there and bat and play for the team.

"Luckily for me I have batted in different positions," he added.

"Whether I am batting top of the order or in the middle order, if I can manage the first 30-40 balls at start, everything then seems like regular batting, that's what I try to focus on."

Rahul scored a patient 26 in the first innings in Perth then a solid 77 in the stand with Jaiswal, who slammed 161.

While India head into the second match of the five-Test series full of confidence, they have less experience of pink ball cricket than Australia.

And Adelaide has been a successful venue for the home side, who have won all seven day-night Tests they have played there, including against India in 2020-21 when the visitors were bundled out for 36.

Rahul has yet to play a day-night Test match and has therefore turned to some of his teammates for advice on how to handle a swinging pink ball under the lights.

"This will be my first pink-ball Test match, so I don't have the game experience like some other players have," he said.

"It is just about speaking to the guys, who have played and try and understand what are the things that they found hard and how did they manage and if they made any changes."

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