Anyone who has seen the right-hander, who is now 31, bat on his good days cannot but walk away impressed. The poise at the wicket, the array of strokes, the ability to read the match situation and to counterattack. He has it all.
But Rahul's problem (and perhaps India's too) is that between those good days have been plenty of ordinary ones; the kind that make you wonder whether he is doing justice to his sublime talent; the kind that made you want to move on.
But every once in a while, Rahul reminds us of all that he can be. He tempts the non-believers and gets them over to his side. Wednesday and most of Tuesday saw him stitch together an innings of such quality that even considering the thought of an India team without him seems like one that went beyond mere fallacy.
His 101 off 137 balls was what India desperately needed. Despite a cagey start to the innings on Tuesday, he took the opportunities to hit 14 fours and 4 sixes.
Yet, if Rishabh Pant had been fit, there might have been no space for Rahul the batter in this playing XI. Jaiswal has announced himself as opener. Gill deserves a chance. Iyer has been delivering.
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