The All India Selection Committee has picked KL Rahul in the 15-man squad for the upcoming limited overs series against Australia at home that is scheduled to start on February 24.
Rahul, who was in horrendous form in Australia, came back into his groove in the recent matches against England Lions.
Now, Chairman of selectors MSK Prasad has revealed the main reason behind Rahul’s inclusion.
“At such a major tournament [World Cup], we can’t afford to go in without a third opener. That’s why we have included KL Rahul for the T20Is and the ODIs against Australia. We have to see how he performs because his form is also very important,” Prasad was quoted as saying in an interview on Hotstar.
The third opener’s spot has been a hot topic of discussion in recent days. Former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar has backed Dinesh Karthik for the role, while Shane Warne believes India can try Rishabh Pant as the opener in the upcoming series against Australia and in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019.
“We have included him (Rishabh Pant) considering the fact he is a left-hander. We will try and figure the best possible batting position for him. With a left-hander in the side, there is an advantage of left-right combination,” Prasad had said after picking Rishabh Pant in the limited-overs squads.
