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Since the 2013 Champions Trophy, Shikhar Dhawan has been a cornerstone of India's 50-over campaigns. His consistency at the top was vital to India reaching the semi-finals of every major ICC tournament in that span, highlighted by being the top run-scorer in both the 2013 and 2017 Champions Trophies, as well as India's leading batsman in the 2015 World Cup.
Given his track record, Dhawan was expected to be a primary driver of India's success in the 2019 World Cup. He seemed to be on that path after delivering a brilliant century in just the second game of the tournament against Australia.
Unfortunately, that spectacular performance came at a cost; Dhawan suffered a thumb injury during the match. Medical scans later confirmed a hairline fracture, forcing him to miss subsequent games. With his recovery expected to take significant time and ruling him out of the rest of the competition, the responsibility now falls on KL Rahul to step in and fill those big shoes.
Rahul is currently regarded as one of India's most gifted top-order players across all formats. While he has established himself in Test and T20 matches, he struggled to find a permanent home in the ODI squad. This was largely because the opening partnership of Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan was untouchable, and Rahul failed to make a significant mark when tried in the middle order.ODI cricket, and his simultaneous failure to make an impact in the middle order, kept him out of the ODI team more often than not.
Despite his obvious talent, India's attempts to slot him into the middle order yielded disappointing results. In eight ODI appearances batting between positions 3 and 6, he managed only 100 runs, leaving him with a lackluster average of 16.66.
The narrative changes, however, when Rahul opens the batting. Whenever Rohit or Dhawan were unavailable, Rahul stepped up, and his performance levels spiked. In eight ODI innings as an opener, he accumulated 337 runs at an impressive average of 67.4, a tally that includes one century and three half-centuries—including a strong showing in the recent clash with Pakistan.
His 57-run contribution from 78 balls provided the stability India needed to post a formidable 336/5, eventually securing an 87-run victory (via the D/L method). This was his first time opening in an ODI in nine months, dating back to a fluid 60-run knock against Afghanistan in the September 2018 Asia Cup.
It is evident that Rahul is far more comfortable and effective at the top of the order. With no obstacles remaining, he is expected to open for the rest of the World Cup, starting with Saturday's game against Afghanistan, where he'll be looking to make a big statement.
While it's a shame that Dhawan won't be dominating the bowling attacks for the remainder of the event, Rahul possesses the skill set to mirror the left-hander's success in ICC tournaments. If his limited experience as an opener is any indication, he might even exceed expectations if given a consistent run in the role.
Written by: Prasenjit Dey