THE CURIOUS CASE OF KL RAHUL Shuffled Roles & Unrealized Potential in Test Cricket

The great American cartoonist Charles M Schulz had once said, “There is no heavier burden than an unfulfilled potential.” The quote sits perfectly well for a very talented Indian cricketer who has sadly missed reaching the heights that his talent guaranteed - KL Rahul. As the Border Gavaskar Trophy ended with India’s defeat, Rahul had once again promised a lot but delivered little!

Rahul’s journey in international cricket is one of unfulfilled potential, inconsistent form, and an almost relentless shuffling across batting positions. Originally intended as a middle-order anchor, he has now been pushed up the order to open again - a position from which he has been moved repeatedly in recent years. With over a decade in Test cricket and a modest record to show, Rahul’s career stats tell a story of a talent who, despite flashes of brilliance, has yet to settle into a role that maximizes his potential.

Since his debut in 2014, Rahul has been seen as an adaptable batsman, capable of stabilizing the innings or accelerating when required. This versatility, however, has often worked to his detriment in Tests. With the Indian team constantly seeking balance in its batting lineup, Rahul has been alternated between the opening and middle-order positions more frequently than any player in his era. The recent India-New Zealand series saw Rahul positioned in the middle order, with the team management saying that his role would remain unchanged. But, in a surprising turn, he was moved back to the opening slot for the BGT series in Australia.

Later, to accommodate captain Rohit Sharma back at the top of the order, Rahul had to bat at number 3 in the 4th Test. This chaos doesn’t end here. In the 5th Test at Sydney he was back at the opening slot, as Rohit had “opted out” of the Test owing to a dip in batting form. What is apparent is that these shifts in his role have made it difficult for Rahul to establish himself in any particular batting position, leading to inconsistency and perhaps lack of confidence.

For a player with Rahul’s raw talent and technical proficiency, an average of around 33 after 50-odd Tests is significantly short of expectations. When compared to his peers who debuted around the same time, his record appears modest. Players like Joe Root, Steve Smith, and even Mayank Agarwal, who came later, have all achieved solid averages well over 40. For Rahul, breaking through the 40-average barrier now seems like an uphill task, and barring a miraculous run of form, it may remain elusive.

In the cricketing world, an average of 33 is typically viewed as underwhelming for a top-order batsman. Given that Rahul has spent nearly a decade to establish himself, this statistic speaks volumes about his struggles. He has shown sparks of brilliance - such as his hundred at the Oval against England in 2021 and his debut hundred in Sydney. But they have been interspersed with long patches of low scores and failures to convert starts into substantial knocks. This lack of consistency can be traced back to both technical and mental issues that have prevented him from reaching the heights once predicted for him.

Observers of the game suggest that his mindset may be playing a larger role than acknowledged. Cricket is as much a mental game as it is a technical one, and for Rahul, this aspect may be affecting his performance. He has admitted to grappling with self-doubt and dealing with criticism, which have possibly added to his struggles on the pitch. Moreover, Rahul’s perceived “excess potential” may ironically be the very thing hindering him. The knowledge that he possesses technical skills, elegance, and a range of shots can create a subconscious pressure to perform to an unrealistic standard every time he bats

Even in this series, Rahul started with a lot of brilliance, leaving balls outside off stump and biding his time , while all others were falling prey to attacking batting. Experts felt that Rahul will finally make this tour worth remembering, one that will mark a milestone in his career. But after hitting 2 half centuries in the first 3 Tests, he scored just 41 runs in the last 4 innings of the series! As always, Rahul has done just enough to stay in contention for a spot in the Indian 11 for the Test series in England later this year. But it’s obvious that Rahul’s journey might benefit from mental conditioning or sports psychologist’s support. With introspective players like Rahul, this type of support can often unlock greater self-belief and clarity, which is crucial for overcoming mental blocks. If that happens, Rahul will finally live up to the potential that has long marked him as one of India’s most promising yet perplexing cricketers!

THE VIEWS EXPRESSED BY THE AUTHOR ARE PERSONAL

Siddhaarth Mahan, The writer is a specialist on Sports and Cinema who works as an actor in the Hindi film industry