Kishan was considered the primary choice for the wicketkeeper’s role, not only due to his impressive record of four fifties in his last five one-day innings but also for the left-handed batting dimension he adds to a predominantly right-handed lineup.

However, Rahul’s performances in his first two outings since recovering from a thigh injury have made a compelling case for his inclusion. This has created the “good headache” that chief selector Ajit Agarkar had anticipated when both players were selected for the World Cup squad.

Rahul’s immediate impact was evident when he had just five minutes to prepare for the high-stakes Asia Cup match against Pakistan, stepping in as a last-minute replacement for Shreyas Iyer due to a back spasm. In that match, he played a brilliant unbeaten knock of 111 and forged a crucial partnership with Virat Kohli, setting up India’s comprehensive victory over their arch-rivals.

Rahul’s versatility shone through again when he partnered with Kishan during India’s low-scoring encounter against Sri Lanka, which they won by 41 runs. Moreover, Rahul also took on the wicketkeeping duties for a significant portion of both the Pakistan and Sri Lanka innings.

Speaking about his dual role, Rahul expressed his comfort with it, stating, “I have been keeping wicket for a long time, more than two years now actually. So it’s not new for me, and the team management has told me that this would be my role in the squad – to play in the middle order and keep wicket.”

Primarily known for his versatility as a batter, Rahul revealed that he had dedicated time to enhance his wicketkeeping skills during his injury rehabilitation, saying, “During my recovery, I worked on both aspects. Earlier, I’d work mostly on my batting. But this time I had enough time to work on my keeping. Hopefully, I can do both roles well.”