India have already secured the ODI series against Afghanistan with victories in the opening two matches, giving the team management an opportunity to test different combinations ahead of upcoming international assignments. With several senior players unavailable for the series, the Men in Blue have experimented with their batting order and handed opportunities to multiple players across the first two games.
While some of those changes have delivered encouraging results, one particular tactical move has attracted attention from a former India captain. He has weighed in on India’s handling of KL Rahul, offering his perspective on how the experienced batter should be utilised in the ODI setup.
Former India captain where KL Rahul should bat for India
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Kris Srikkanth questioned India’s decision to use Rahul lower down the order during the Afghanistan series. The wicketkeeper-batter played an impactful unbeaten knock of 39 off just 19 deliveries in the first ODI after batting at No. 5, but was pushed down to No. 6 in the second match, where he was dismissed for a duck. The former India captain believes Rahul’s quality and experience make him more valuable higher up the batting order rather than as a designated finisher.
“It is not good for KL Rahul and the team if he is batting at six. In my opinion, he must bat at four or five max. I think they can go by rotation policy. Rest the certainties in some games, give chances, and then pick the side,” Srikkanth said.
The former chief selector stressed that frequent changes in batting position can affect a player’s rhythm and confidence. With the 2027 ODI World Cup cycle already underway, he feels India should begin identifying stable roles for key players rather than constantly shifting them around the order. Srikkanth also supported the idea of rotating established players to test bench strength instead of altering the batting responsibilities of core members of the squad.
Concerns raised over players’ workload after busy season
Apart from discussing Rahul’s batting position, Srikkanth also voiced concerns over India’s hectic schedule. The former opener questioned the timing of the Afghanistan series, which is being played shortly after the conclusion of IPL 2026 and the T20 World Cup. He argued that players should be given sufficient time to recover physically and mentally before moving on to their next international assignment.
“Afghanistan is not a great team really. It is sad. Now they are going to play in Chennai where it will be very hot. I don’t know how they will play there. It is not fair. I don’t think they should be playing in June. The T20 World Cup and IPL just got over. Give them a break and the Women’s T20 World Cup is going on, why don’t we focus on that? There should be a one month break after the IPL to be honest. There is no family time, no holiday, and most importantly no mental break,” he stated.
India will now take on Afghanistan in the third and final ODI in Chennai on June 20. Having already sealed the series, the hosts could once again experiment with their playing XI as they aim to complete a clean sweep.
