Valuable But Not Bankable? Decoding KL Rahul's Troubling Average In Tests

The British media is saying that KL Rahul has transitioned from an underachiever to a Zen uncle. He is 4th on the list of run-getters for the ongoing Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy with 375 runs in 3 matches with the help of two hundreds and one half-century. Despite his class, the fans are baffled how his Test average in over 10 years has not moved beyond 35. Let us explain what happened to KL Rahul. After a fabulous start to his Test career in 2014-15, he slipped into “overthinking” mode. He claimed that there was a constant weight on him. All batters have blues. KL Rahul's dull days stretched for as long as six years. He averaged 26 from 28 Tests played between November 2017 to December 2023.

That included a hopeless 2018 when he had just one hundred and one half-century in 12 Tests. During the last Lord's Test he played back in 2018, Rahul made a technical change that solved one problem but did not help him on the whole.

In 2021, under the toughest of conditions, he made a century at Lord's. But even his name on the Lord's honours board did not put him in bracket of a ‘bankable' Test batter for India.

Despite his star status off the field, being married into Bollywood, that never quite helped him become a box office performer on the field. He has flattered to deceive. However the current England tour has seen him in a different avatar- one that silenced the trolling even more by shutting out the noise.

Not talking about his ‘social anxiety' in a public gathering, but internalization of his emotions, leading to some classical performances in the middle. On the 2016-17 series in Australia, KL Rahul slammed six fifties in seven innings, but was unable to reach three figures.

He has found ways to get out in almost funny ways. Many have questioned his hunger as well. And then came a spate of injuries that denied him the access to what he loves most. He missed out on the Bangladesh tour of 2015, dropped for the series of South Africa in 2019, giving way to his state-mate Mayank Agarwal.

KL Rahul's fans would argue that 2020s have been the toughest decade for openers. The Karnataka opener played 48% of his Tests in SENA countries. 7 of his 10 hundreds came at those venues.

This series alone, he has made 2. He has admitted to being more “peaceful”, perhaps a transition aided by marriage and fatherhood. And even though the Test average of 35.26 does not justify his gifts, at 33, with still some years left for him, it may not be too late to better those digits.

Topics mentioned in this article

KL Rahul India Cricket Team England Cricket Team England vs India, 2025 Cricket