Rahul has scored 4 and 9 runs in two matches for India in T20 WC thus far.
Rahul has made 4 and 9 against Pakistan and the Netherlands respectively and now fans are questioning whether India should continue with him or get in Rishabh Pant to open the innings, bringing in a left-hander into the mix as well.
The Indian vice-captain made his return to international cricket after spending months out of action due to a sports hernia. He had scored back-to-back half-centuries against South Africa in the series just before the T20 World Cup, but the first of those was a 56-ball 51.
Former India coach Anil Kumble, who has worked extensively with KL Rahul in the Punjab Kings franchise in the IPL, said that the 30-year-old just needs to “switch on”.
“In the IPL it was a different conversation. All of us kept saying, look, you are the best player. Just go out and bat normally. From ball one, go hard, do what you are good out,” he said on ESPNCricinfo.
“Especially in the powerplay I don't think any bowler can keep him quiet. But I think when he played franchise cricket, he felt that he needed to bat longer because of the lineup he had and he was captain. You can say what you want from the outside but you can't control what happens on the field.
With the Indian team, it is quite different. I think his role is to just go out there and bat. When I was coach, I didn't want that to change, I just wanted him to go and be KL Rahul, and dictate terms from ball one. I think he sort of switches on and switches off for whatever reason. We saw in his last game for Punjab against Chennai where we had to get those runs and have a crack at the net run rate, we saw what he can do. He just smashed everyone and Chennai had some good international bowlers," said Kumble.
KL Rahul had scored 98* in 42 balls for Punjab Kings in IPL 2021 match against CSK while chasing 135 runs, smashing seven fours and eight sixes.
“So it is just a matter of Rahul switching on. It is not about any conversation any of us can have, it is just about him feeling that today is when I will start hitting shots or be tentative. We don't know,” he said.
India will next play South Africa in Perth on Sunday.
(ESPNCricinfo inputs)