Last Updated on 2 years by Charbel Coorey

Cricket News: KL Rahul unsure why Rishabh Pant was released from ODI squad | KL Rahul speaks after BAN vs IND 1st ODI

Indian vice-captain KL Rahul has revealed that he is unaware of why wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant was released from the One Day International (ODI) squad for the series vs Bangladesh as the former donned the gloves in the first match in Mirpur on Sunday.

Speaking at the post-match press conference, Rahul explained that batting in the middle-order and keeping the wickets are roles that he has always been asked to be prepared for in the 50-over format. The Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) captain, who top-scored with 73 off 70 in an otherwise disappointing loss for India, pointed that he had carried out these responsibilities in 2020 as well.

“Actually, we haven’t played a lot of ODIs in the last 6-7 months, but if you look at since 2020 or 21, I have kept wickets in the one-day format and I have batted at number four and five in the middle order,” Rahul said as he addressed the media after Bangladesh won the opening ODI by putting up a partnership of over 50 runs for the last wicket.

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He added, “It’s a role that the team has asked me to do before, and when it comes to Rishabh, I’m not really aware to be honest. I just found out today in the dressing room that he has been released. I don’t know what the reasons are; the medical team will be in a better position to answer that question.”

Rahul has in fact batted at number five in 11 innings, i.e. 25 per cent of his total number of times that he has batted in ODI cricket. He averages a fantastic 58.44 with a strike rate of 112.39 in the position with five half-centuries and a ton to his name. In fact, his highest score in ODIs, i.e. 112, came whilst batting at number five against New Zealand at Bay Oval in February 2020. The team management certainly found it appropriate to try him out in this role in the absence of Suryakumar Yadav and Rishabh Pant.

Regarding Pant, Rahul disclosed that there was an air of uncertainty over his release form the squad and refrained from divulging further details regarding the same.

“This is a role that the team has always has asked me to be ready for in white-ball cricket. I’ve done it before, and whenever the team wants me to play this role, I will play this role,” the 30-year-old quipped. He added, “I didn’t seem him [Pant] in the dressing room. We asked what happened and he has been released, but we had to focus on the game, so we did not ask too many questions.”

Rahul is likely to play at number five for the remainder of the series as well. The second and third ODIs of the series will be played in Mirpur and Chattogram on Wednesday and Saturday respectively.