KL Rahul appointed India captain; Analysing his leadership record ahead of SA ODI series

KL Rahul appointed as ODI captain [Source: AFP]

On Sunday, the BCCI announced India’s squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against South Africa, starting November 30. After the ongoing two-match Test series ends, both teams will also play three ODIs followed by five T20Is. 

The biggest news from the announcement is that KL Rahul has been named the captain of the Indian ODI team.

Regular ODI captain Shubman Gill is still recovering from a neck injury and therefore cannot take part in the series. In Gill’s absence, Rahul has been chosen to lead the side. This is a significant moment because Rahul has not captained India in any format for almost two years. 

With Shreyas Iyer also missing due to a spleen injury, Rahul becomes the most experienced and natural choice to guide the side. So, if you are wondering how good Rahul is as a captain and what his past record looks like, let’s take a look.

Notably, KL Rahul has captained India in all three formats, ODIs, T20Is and Test cricket.

KL Rahul's captaincy record in ODIs

Rahul has led India in 12 One-Day Internationals so far. Most recently, he captained the team in December 2023 on the South Africa tour, where India won the series 2-1. His overall ODI record as captain is 8 wins and 4 losses.

[KL Rahul's ODI captaincy record]

It is worth noting that Rahul’s first ODI series as captain was also against South Africa in 2022, and India lost all three matches. But his improvement since then has been very impressive.

 In the last nine ODIs where Rahul was captain, India won eight. The only defeat came against South Africa in the second ODI of the 2023 away series.

As a batter while captaining, Rahul has also done fairly well. He has scored 302 runs in 10 innings, averaging 33.55, including four half-centuries.

KL Rahul's captaincy record in T20Is

Meanwhile, in T20Is, Rahul has captained India in only one match, and India won that match against Afghanistan.

KL Rahul's captaincy record in Tests

Notably, Rahul has led India three times in Tests. Out of these, India won two Tests and lost one, giving him a win percentage of 66.66%.

KL Rahul's captaincy record in IPL

The Karnataka batter has also been a full-time captain in the IPL. He first led Punjab Kings in 2021, and later became the captain of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in 2022. Across 64 IPL matches as captain, he has won 31 and lost 31, showing a balanced record.

Conclusion

KL Rahul’s return to the role of ODI captain comes at a decisive moment for Team India. The Men in Blue needed a leader who brings maturity and the ability to handle pressure, and Rahul fits that profile. 

Beyond the numbers, Rahul has shown calmness in tense situations and qualities that make him a strong modern captain.

The upcoming ODI series is more than just another assignment; it is an opportunity for Rahul to reaffirm his value not only as a dependable batter but also as a leader capable of driving India forward when circumstances demand.

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