KL Rahul will lead India in the three-match one-day series against South Africa after Shubman Gill was ruled out with a side strain. It is familiar territory for the wicketkeeper-batter, who has already captained India in 12 ODIs, three Tests and a solitary T20I.
“Just a day before the announcement, I was told that the opportunity might come and I might have to lead,” Rahul said on the eve of Sunday’s opener in Ranchi. “I have captained the side before. It is something that is very exciting. I look forward to enjoying that responsibility. I have always enjoyed responsibility, making the right decisions for the team. That’s about it. I don’t think too much about it.”
Support around him is plentiful. Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja remain part of the squad and, even without the armband, are likely to influence tactics in real time. “I obviously have Rohit, Virat, Jaddu, all the senior players around me who will help out,” Rahul explained. “How we have all played our cricket is to think of it as we are all leaders and we try and do the best for the team. That continues whether I am captain or someone else is captain. It is always a collective effort to doing something in the direction of a bigger goal.”
Those words chime with India’s broader plan. Although the 2027 World Cup still feels distant, selectors want continuity in decision-making. A leadership group that shares information quickly – on field placements, bowling changes and match-ups – can shorten that learning curve for younger names such as Tilak Varma and Ruturaj Gaikwad.
Saba Karim, the former India selector, believes the batting order could have a fresh look in South Africa. “‘Tilak right player to replace Iyer at No. 4,’” he said on a panel discussion. He added that, for now, “there is no room for Rishabh Pant” as the left-hander continues his rehabilitation after last year’s car accident.
Rahul’s most recent appearance in national colours was less pleasant. Trying to survive the final session in Guwahati, he reached to drive Simon Harmer, mis-read the drift and lost his off stump. India slid to a heavy defeat. The shot still lingers in discussion, though Rahul is not dwelling on it.
“There is no regret of not trying a different shot,” he insisted. “There is a regret of executing what I did.
“It is a Test format. At the stage that I was playing, it was the last few overs of the day. I don’t think that’s the right time for me to try and step down and hit the bowler for a boundary.
“Looking back, yes, maybe I would have [come down and blocked it] but it was only the second ball of the over. If I had stepped down and gotten out, maybe that would have been a question mark in my own head as to whether that was right or wrong. At that point in time, I think defending was the right option to do which I didn’t do well enough.”
India’s recent vulnerability against spin, particularly slow bowlers from visiting sides, has prompted wider scrutiny. Since 2022, their top order averages just 28 at home when the ball turns – miles below the numbers posted a decade ago. Rahul conceded the group must adapt.
“I don’t know why we were better in playing spin before and not so good now,” he said. “There are a lot of reasons. But we can just think about how we can do better as players. How individually we can do better and when in six-seven months we are in a similar situation against Sri Lanka [away] and the home series against Australia, so how we can do better and what are the technical changes we need to make. These are things we’ll individually seek answers.”
Analysis
Rahul’s return to the captaincy is less about a tactical overhaul and more about calm stewardship. His strike-rotation in the middle overs often flies under the radar; data shows he faces only 26% dot balls during overs 20-40, the lowest in India’s current squad. That skill will be vital on South African pitches where steep bounce can strand stroke-makers on the crease.
Bowling resources look balanced. Jasprit Bumrah is back to full pace, Mohammed Siraj has learned to swing the older ball, and Kuldeep Yadav’s left-arm wrist-spin offers variation on slower surfaces such as Paarl. Yet it is Rahul’s ability to seal chases that could decide the series. He hit the winning runs in both the Champions Trophy semi-final and final earlier this year, reinforcing his self-identification as a finisher.
A short lead-up and limited practice time mean the first ODI may be scruffy. Still, India will view the campaign as a low-risk environment to test batting combinations, especially at No. 4 where Shreyas Iyer’s back trouble leaves a temporary hole. Should Tilak Varma take that slot, his ability to loft spin straight down the ground will be assessed quickly by Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi.
For Rahul, the assignment is straightforward: set fields, rotate bowlers and, if required, nurse a chase home. As he puts it, “I look forward to enjoying that responsibility.”
