Watch: KL Rahul Sweating It Out In The Nets Ahead Of Third ODI 1

Remaining true to his pre-match comments, India captain Virat Kohli made several experiments during the second One-Day International against Sri Lanka on Thursday (August 24). And while there were speculations that the team would alter the lineup for the second ODI, Kohli surprised one and all by altering the batting order.

After Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan added 109 runs for the first wicket in pursuit of 231, India sent KL Rahul at number three instead of skipper Virat Kohli and Kedar Jadhav at number 4. However, the move failed immediately as Jadhav’s dismissal opened the floodgates and in no time, India were seven down for just 131. Jadhav managed just 1 while Rahul and Kohli scored 4 each as off-spinner Akila Dananjaya ran riot to put his team on top.

India had gone on to win the game courtesy of an unbeaten 100-run stand between MS Dhoni and Bhuvneshwar Kumar and although the collapse was certainly worrying, Kohli made it clear that he had no regrets with his decision of experimenting with the batting order. Speaking after the match, Kohli said he wanted to give other players some much-needed time in the middle.

“When you’re 110 for 1 in a chase of 230, you want to give everyone a chance to bat. I don’t have any regrets. If I had come at No. 3, I would have still missed that ball because he (Akila Dananjaya) was bowling that well,” Kohli had said after the game. 

“It was quite an exciting game of cricket, fans and players must have been entertained.”

Well, it looks like KL Rahul is certain to retain his place in the playing eleven for the third ODI on Sunday (August 26). The Test opener, who had entered the ODI series on the back of eight consecutive half-centuries, failed to sustain the form in the second ODI but the way he was sweating it out in the nets ahead of the third of the five-match series, he looks like a certainty in the playing eleven.

BCCI’s Twitter-handle posted the video of Rahul working hard in the nets and perhaps hinting that Manish Pandey and Ajinkya Rahane might have to wait longer to get a chance in the team.