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Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir has defended the team management’s decision to demote KL Rahul to No. 6 in the batting order, emphasizing that impact matters more than position in a team sport.
Rahul, who started his career as an opener, has gradually transitioned into a middle-order role in ODIs. The 32-year-old proved his adaptability once again in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 semi-final against Australia, playing a match-winning knock of 42 (34 balls)* and finishing the game with a six as India secured a four-wicket victory.
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Gambhir’s Take on KL Rahul’s Role
During the post-match press conference, Gambhir was asked about Rahul’s batting order change. The former opener dismissed any concerns, asserting that team needs come first and that batting positions are irrelevant if a player makes an impact.
“In a sport like cricket and in a team sport, numbers don’t matter, batting positions don’t matter. It’s the impact that matters.”
Gambhir further stressed that a player’s primary goal should be to contribute to the team, regardless of where they bat in the order.
“You should only be thinking of picking yourself in the playing XI, and whatever is needed of you to do for the team, you should be happily doing it. KL has done that, and he has done that really well at number six.”
Why KL Rahul at No. 6?
Gambhir also explained that pushing Rahul down the order was a strategic move to provide more depth in the batting lineup.
“People keep talking about it… why we’ve pushed KL at number six. We just feel that he gives us more depth, and that is how we want to play the game.”
He reiterated that the focus remains on creating an impact, rather than debating individual batting positions.
“In this format, we are not going to talk about batting positions. We’re going to talk about how we can create that impact and what is needed for the team. We’ll continue doing that.”
KL Rahul’s Milestone Achievement
During his 42-run unbeaten knock, KL Rahul also reached a major milestone—he completed 3,000 ODI runs in just 78 innings. He became the third-fastest Indian batter to achieve this feat, behind only:
✅ Shikhar Dhawan – 72 innings
✅ Virat Kohli – 75 innings
With India now in the Champions Trophy final, Rahul’s adaptability and consistency will remain crucial for the team’s success as they aim for their third ICC trophy in two years.
