IPL 2024: Why KL Rahul will not be part of India's T20 World Cup 2024 squad?

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IPL 2024: Will KL Rahul get a chance to play in T20 World Cup 2024? The cricketing logic suggests that the team can do without the stylish right-hander. But historically, the BCCI selectors have taken their big players to the major ICC events regardless.

The Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee is being touted to make some tough calls. If reports are to be believed, even Virat Kohli's place in the squad is uncertain. However, the ongoing IPL 2024 has changed the narrative in just two weeks since its start.

Virat Kohli is the leading run-scorer in the tournament and the first player to score over 300 runs. Debates over his strike rate can emerge, but that doesn't really matter when he has scored 316 runs at an average of 105.33 in five matches. His strike rate might not be a fancy 180 or 200, but it's a healthy 146.29 for a batter who is given the responsibility to anchor the innings.

Can we say the same about KL Rahul? The batter established himself as middle-order wicketkeeper-batter in the Test and ODI formats, but the shortest format of the game is altogether a different ball game.

Gone are the days when players would take a couple of balls to gauge the situation. We live in an era where the batters attack from ball one. Romario Shepherd's 10-ball 39 against Delhi Capitals on Sunday is an example.

KL Rahul's poor strike rate

Rahul scored 33 off 31 balls in Sunday's evening match at Lucknow's Ekana Stadium. But the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) can defend himself by saying It was a tricky surface where Gujarat Titans were bundled out for 130 while chasing 164.

But what about his side's match at the Chinnaswamy in Bengaluru? He scored 20 off 14 (SR 142.86). Stoinis scored 24 (SR 160), and Nicholas Pooran 40 (SR 190.48) in the match. Uncapped Mahipal Lomror came down to bat at seventh for RCB and scored 33 off just 13 (SR 253.85).

Overall, the 31-year-old has scored 126 runs in four matches at an average of 31.5 and strike rate of 128.57 in IPL 2024. Talking about T20Is, KL Rahul played 289 runs at an average of 28.90 and a strike rate of 130.76. In the following year, the Karnataka batter scored with a strike rate of 126.53. In IPL 2023, Rahul carried a strike rate of 113.22.

Why KL Rahul might miss the T20 World Cup 2024 berth?

Rahul's strike rate is not the only big problem. His batting position is also a massive concern. He should have batted in the middle-order for LSG to make a case for himself. Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav have already booked their spots in the top-order. Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Sanju Samson, and Riyan Parag are some better options in the middle and lower middle-order.

Rishabh Pant, Ishan Kishan, Jitesh Sharma and Samson are fighting for a place among themselves for a wicketkeeper-batter spot. Rahul opening for Lucknow with a below-par strike rate is not helping his cause.

It's only his stature and past record in big events which can give him the ticket to fly for the USA and the West Indies where the T20 World Cup 2024 will be staged. The selectors can also fit him in the squad as the second-choice wicketkeeper-batter. But is Rahul really the second best T20I wicketkeeper-batter currently in the country?