WTC Final: Will Pujara's failure make way for KL Rahul against England?

With Cheteshwar Pujara's failure in the World Test Championship (WTC) final, the Saurashtra batsman faces the possibility of being benched for the Test series against England starting August 4.

This brings KL Rahul into the equation. The Karnataka batsman last donned his whites in 2019 against the West Indies when India blanked the hosts 2-0. Despite his team's triumph, KL Rahul had an underwhelming outing, registering scores of 13 and 6. The second innings score all but confirmed the fact that the Punjab Kings skipper would be ousted as he scratched around for 63 balls before walking back to the pavilion.

However, Rahul was part of the 30-member contingent that traveled to England although he missed out on the 15-member squad against New Zealand in the WTC final.

Rahul at No.3 will be an experiment. For starters, it remains to be seen if the Indian think-tank will give Pujara an extended run despite the WTC disaster. If the ax is sure to fall, then KL Rahul will be one of the contenders along with Hanuma Vihari to take the slot.

There is also a possibility of Virat Kohli batting at No.3, but for now, Rahul could be a potential fit to replace Pujara after the WTC loss

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What makes KL Rahul a perfect to replace Pujara after the WTC final?

KL Rahul's experience as an opener in India's Test side makes him a de facto choice. He can play the new ball and his ability to play risk-free cricket makes him perfect for the position.

Add to this his sound technique. KL Rahul, like Pujara, has a solid game that allows him to toggle between anchor and aggressor effortlessly. At No.3, he's played just five innings for India, scoring 88 runs (with one 50 to his name). KL Rahul is certainly better as an opener (1915 runs from 15 innings).

Then comes his recent form. Before being ruled out of IPL 2021 with acute appendicitis, KL Rahul scored 331 runs from seven matches at an average of 66.20. Prior to that, he marked his return to the national side in their limited-overs series against England with a ton and a fifty.

Recent form is on KL Rahul's side. It's just a question of whether he gets a go. Recent reports suggest India are already planning to ring in a few changes when they face England and it shouldn't come as a surprise if they bring in KL Rahul after Pujara's woeful WTC final outing.

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