ICC World Cup 2019 | I am pretty certain Rahul is preparing as an opener, says Robin Uthappa

With the unfortunate news that in-form opener Shikhar Dhawan being ruled out of the Indian playing XI for three weeks after sustaining a fracture to his thumb, it is not apparent that KL Rahul will replace him at the top of the order and kick start India’s batting along with Rohit Sharma. Speaking in a podcast session on Cricbuzz Live, Robin Uthappa stated that KL Rahul must have already been preparing as an opener right from the start of the tournament considering he does not bat that far down the order and thus the only change he would need is change in approach.

Having himself opened the innings as well as played in the middle order in different stints, the wicketkeeper from Karnataka knows all too well about such situations.

“I don’t think he would have been practising anything different other than mentally making a note that he is batting at number four and past the powerplay, and not within the powerplay. I think that is the only mental change he would have made otherwise I am sure in the nets, he was still playing the new ball and whatever I saw him play on the television with the sidearm, it has been pretty much the new ball,” Uthappa said.

Having not had much of a chance to make an impact so far in the tournament, Rahul was in good touch in the IPL where he was one of the highest run-getters of the tournament, playing as an opener for the Kings XI Punjab.

“I am pretty certain he is preparing as an opener and that is the best preparation in those conditions. So I think the only change would have been, okay I am batting past the powerplay, otherwise, everything else would have remained the same. Because in the game against Bangladesh, that was exactly what he did. Played as he would play at the top of the order, the only difference being he was batting past the powerplay,” Uthappa concluded on the matter.