Former Indian wicket-keeper Ajay Ratra backed the in-form KL Rahul as the front-line choice for the WK-batsman for India. Ratra, 38, feels KL Rahul is in sublime form and the “best option” for India in the limited-overs series against Australia starting this month.
After the retirement of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the team has always tended to have multiple options who can bat as well as take gloves.
Team India has gone to Australia with KL Rahul, Wriddhiman Saha, Rishabh Pant and also Rishabh Pant. But the former believes KL Rahul could best fill in that shoes owing to his records last year and this year’s IPL.
“The kind of form that Rahul is in obviously makes him the best option,” Ratra told Hindustan Times.
“He is flexible in the batting order, keeping wise also he has done a decent job. Rahul is an asset, he will walk into the Indian ODI and T20I at any point of time. If he keeps then it allows India to play an extra bowler or an all-rounder. So Rahul should be the first choice keeper-batsman in T20I and ODIs.” he added.
KL Rahul finished as the highest-run scorer in the recently concluded Indian Premier League with 670 runs in the tournament.
Team India is slated to play three ODIs followed by as many T20Is starting from November 27. Sanju Samson has been named in the ODI and T20I squad, while Rishabh Pant has been named as WK batsman in the Test squad.
“Samson needs to be a bit more consistent with the bat. Same is for Pant. They definitely have the potential. Samson didn’t get to keep wickets much in the IPL. But both Samson and Pant are now fighting for the second spot,” said Ratra.
