India Vs Australia: ‘Big difference’: KL Rahul on opening and batting in middle-order

NEW DELHI: India’s stand-in skipper KL Rahul, who is leading the team in the first two ODIs of the ongoing three-match series against Australia, shed light on the nuances of batting as an opener versus batting in the middle order. Rahul’s insights came after he delivered a match-winning performance with a half-century, batting at No.4, in India’s first ODI victory over Australia, taking the hosts to a 1-0 series lead.
Rahul, who has predominantly opened the innings in his career, emphasised the significant disparity between the two roles.

“At the top of the order, you are creating the game yourself. Even when you are chasing, you know you need to score a particular score. You go in with zero baggage. There is no pressure of falling wickets or required run rate. But when you bat in the middle order, you have the situation in front of you and then need to act accordingly,” Rahul said in a recent interview with JioCinema.

“That is the only major difference. I have been lucky that I have got enough games in the middle order to understand and adapt. Batting at positions 4 and 5 are not too different but yes, there is a big difference between opening and batting in the middle order,” Rahul added.
Rahul’s statistics affirm his adaptability. As an opener, he has amassed 915 runs in 23 matches at an average of 43.57, boasting three centuries and six fifties.
In the middle order, primarily at positions 4 and 5, he has tallied 1,210 runs in 29 innings at an average of 55.00, including three centuries and eight fifties.

When queried about whether the Australia series serves as the ideal test for Team India ahead of the World Cup, Rahul expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “They are coming into the World Cup as one of the favourites. They have got some great players, some we play IPL with and we can see the impact they have. They come to India a lot, they know our pitches and conditions as well as we do. This series will all be about how each team brings their skills to the forefront. So, yes, I’m really excited about the series and this is the best way to challenge ourselves before the World Cup.”
Following the ongoing ODI series, Team India is slated to participate in two warm-up matches against England and the Netherlands in preparation for the World Cup. Their World Cup journey begins with a highly anticipated clash against Australia in Chennai on October 8, 2023.
(With inputs from ANI)