Adam Zampa produced a beauty to bowl KL Rahul for 11 in the 2nd ODI as India’s middle order came under scrutiny again.
India had recovered well after a shaky start, with Rohit Sharma (73) and Shreyas Iyer (61) stitching a solid stand to lift the visitors past 150. But both fell within four overs: Rohit pulling Mitchell Starc to deep midwicket and Iyer bowled by Zampa off an inside edge, triggering another rebuild.
KL Rahul, coming in at No.6 after India promoted Axar Patel again, looked positive early on. He stepped out to Zampa to hit a clean boundary over extra cover but was undone three balls later by a classic flipper.
The ball skidded through stump-to-stump from a flatter trajectory as Rahul went deep in the crease to pull. It sneaked under his bat and crashed into off stump. Zampa roared in delight as Rahul walked off for 11 off 15 balls, India slipping to 174/5.
Zampa now has dismissed Rahul five times in ODIs, more than any other bowler, a reflection of how well the Australian leggie has his number in this format.
India have been using Axar Patel as a floating No.5 under head coach Gautam Gambhir to counter spin in middle overs. It’s a move that has pushed Rahul, who averages 56.47 at No.5 with 2 hundreds and 9 fifties in 31 innings, down to No.6.
Since August 2024 when Gambhir became coach, Rahul has batted at No.5 only once, while Axar has featured there nine times, scoring 294 runs at an average of 42. The strategy has worked on slower pitches, especially during the UAE’s Champions Trophy build-up, but on bouncier tracks like Australia or South Africa (the 2027 World Cup host), the call looks questionable.
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From a tactical point of view, India seem caught between two philosophies: balance on paper versus impact in practice. The left-right mix with Axar at No.5 looks fine on a whiteboard, but it sacrifices the quality that KL Rahul brings to that position. Rahul’s ability to manipulate tempo against both pace and spin, and to finish innings with clarity in the last 10 overs, is something few others in the squad can replicate. He’s the natural bridge between the top order and the finishers, someone who can both rebuild and accelerate.
Axar’s numbers are solid, but they come from lower-intensity phases and friendlier surfaces in Asia, where he can work singles and attack spin. Outside those conditions, that role demands more high-end shot range and game awareness; incidentally traits Rahul has consistently shown since 2022. By pushing him down or around in the order, India lose that stability against the new ball when early wickets fall, and the tactical edge of having a genuine top-order quality batter absorbing pressure at No.5.
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