PUNE: At any given point of time, at least one Indian middle-order batter is in constant scrutiny. Over the last few years, that particular mantle has been occupied by the likes of Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer and Shubman Gill. It's now time for this particular spotlight to shine on KL Rahul.
While he has only recently come back to the middle order after a fairly okay career at the top between 2015-22, the Karnataka batter knows the fight is on.
The first time he played at No 6 was on his debut against Australia at the MCG many moons ago when he made 3. The next time he was carded at No. 6, he made a sparkling 101 against South Africa at Centurion at the back end of last year.
Since that innings, though, the returns have slowly but surely dried up. There have been a couple of half-centuries but when the competition is intense, below-par returns only increase the pressure. 4, 8, 16, 22 n.o, 68, 0 and 12 (while playing four drop) and 86 and 22 (while playing two drop against England in the absence of Virat Kohli) are not the most inspiring sequences of all time.
While Rahul, at least in the recent past, has not publicly spoken about his preferred spot in the line-up, there aren't too many spots left for him. All elite teams have at least one southpaw and that's even before you start computing the impact Yashasvi Jaiswal has had in his nascent Test career.
Rohit Sharma is the captain and picks himself. After a rocky start to the year, Gill has made his way back as the de-facto No. 3.
That leaves Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant and Rahul himself for the three other spots before the all-rounders. Kohli and Pant pick themselves for obvious reasons. With Gill and Pant expected to feature in the Pune Test, it leaves Rahul and Sarfaraz Khan to fill one spot in the middle-order.
Considering the impact the latter has had in his inaugural year (three 50s and a 150 in seven innings), it's hard to envisage Sarfaraz being asked to carry the drinks again. It's why Rahul is doing the tightrope dance ahead of a big 10 months of Test cricket for the national team.
It was interesting listening to Ryan ten Doeschate, the assistant coach, when he had come for the mandatory matchday minus two press conference ahead of the second Test at the MCA Stadium.
"Yeah, there's no point in sugarcoating it, there's a fight for a spot," he said when speaking about the battle between Sarfaraz and Rahul for the one remaining specialist batter's spot. "Sarfaraz was obviously brilliant in the last Test. I went to KL after the last Test (and) said how many balls do you play (and) miss at? He didn't play at (and) miss at one ball and that's what tends to happen when you are not getting runs.
While Ten Doeschate didn't confirm that Rahul would start the second Test, he said the 32-year-old is in a 'good mental space'.
"There's certainly no concerns about KL, he's batting nicely. But we are certainly going to have to fit seven pieces into six spots for this Test and look at the pitch now and decide what's going to be the best for the team. Gauti (coach Gautam Gambhir) is keen to give him a long rope."
Giving the long rope is well and good but like Ten Doeschate just said, the competition for places is undeniable.
Captain Sharma, who also addressed this issue after the Bengaluru Test, had said: "They know where they stand in their game, where they stand in their careers. We don't change our mindset based on one game, one series... I don't think I am going to talk anything different from what I have been talking with them. Anybody who gets an opportunity will have to try and make an impact."
Sarfaraz, who had been given paternity leave following the Bengaluru Test but is expected to be with the team on Wednesday, took that with both hands.
At some stage, Rahul, who has got Test centuries in England, South Africa and Australia but has not been among the runs in recent times, will have to come good. Otherwise, the incumbent may be upstaged by the upstart.