India wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul has clarified that he is not part of the leadership group responsible for decision-making within the team. However, he acknowledged that there will likely be a desire to give Arshdeep Singh and Rishabh Pant an opportunity in the upcoming match against New Zealand.
Arshdeep, Pant, along with spinners Varun Chakravarthy and Washington Sundar, are yet to feature in the tournament. With India having already secured a place in the semifinals, speculation has arisen about whether the team management might use the opportunity to test these players. When asked about this possibility, Rahul responded, “I’m not in the leadership group to have to make that decision. But I’m sure there will be some temptation. I’ve been in these positions before where there’s an opportunity where you can try out the players who have important games and do get a game.”
Speaking to the media on Friday, KL Rahul further explained the team’s perspective, stating, “We only have one day’s break before the semifinals. And we’ve got a six-day break now. So we probably want all of the players to play the game and get a little bit of time in the middle.”
If changes are made, Arshdeep could come in for Harshit Rana, despite being a left-arm pacer, while Pant would serve as a like-for-like replacement for Rahul. Chakravarthy could be an alternative to Kuldeep Yadav, whereas Sundar might take the place of Ravindra Jadeja or Axar Patel.
Rahul also emphasized the strength of New Zealand, reminding everyone that they are never a team to be taken lightly. He recalled their victories over India, including their triumph in the three-Test series and their win against India in the 2021 T20 World Cup.
