IndiaA crushing defeat in the third T20I against England Scrutiny has intensified on the current composition of the team, with many former cricketers questioning whether the batting unit has the right balance to succeed in challenging overseas conditions. After being bowled out for just 76 while chasing 202 in Nottingham on July 7, the Men in Blue suffered a 125-run defeat – the biggest defeat by runs in India’s T20I history. The disappointing performance has again sparked discussion about experienced players, including the former India opener. Sadagoppan Ramesh Are urging the selectors to bring KL Rahul A return to the shortest format ahead of the 2028 T20 World Cup.
Former opener explains why KL Rahul deserves another chance
India’s batting collapse against England highlighted serious concerns in the middle and top order, as the visitors failed to produce disciplined fast bowling and counter the extra bounce. The defeat is India’s fourth consecutive defeat in a full T20I since winning the 2026 T20 World Cup, raising concerns over whether the current batting approach is sustainable against quality attacks.
Former India opener Ramesh shared his views on Instagram and said that the team management should seriously consider bringing Rahul back into the T20I setup. According to him, India needs experienced batsmen who can handle pressure, bowl high quality fast bowling and save innings when conditions get tough.
“The next T20 World Cup will be on the potentially challenging pitches of Australia and New Zealand. Keeping this in mind, it is paramount that India include a batsman capable of handling high-quality fast bowlers. Thinking in that direction, the first name that automatically comes to mind is KL Rahul. He has answered the criticisms around his strike rate with his performances in this IPL. He is one of only three players to score 150 runs.” Ramesh said in a video posted on Instagram.
The former opening batsman cautioned against relying solely on aggressive stroke play, saying that not every batsman can attack from the very first ball, regardless of the match situation.
“India needs batsmen capable of playing players like Archer in Australian conditions and also needs batsmen who can deal with crisis. Slogging and aiming for only 6 and 4 will lead to such 70 and 80 all-outs. That’s why batsmen like KL Rahul should be considered.” He added.
Also read: Fans criticize India as England beat visitors by record margin in third T20I
Why Rahul can be India’s trump card for the 2028 T20 World Cup?
Although Rahul has not represented India in T20Is since the team’s 10-wicket loss to England in the 2022 T20 World Cup semi-finals, his overall record remains impressive. The right-handed batsman has scored runs at an average of 38 with a strike rate of 139.12 in 72 consecutive T20 matches in this format. Ramesh believes that Rahul’s experience could be invaluable in the 2028 T20 World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand. Both countries are known for offering extra pace and bounce, conditions that often test batsmen’s technique against quality fast bowling.
Rahul has built a reputation for playing effectively at fast pace and adapting his game across all formats. His performances in recent franchise cricket have also shown more aggressive intent, addressing a long-standing criticism regarding his strike rate. With India looking for more stability after disappointing T20I results, his ability to combine that with restrained aggression could provide the balance in the batting lineup that is currently lacking.
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