“KL Rahul has underperformed at times” - Former opener’s stunning remark ahead of ENG vs IND 2025 5th Test

England v India - 4th Rothesay Test Match: Day Four - Source: Getty
KL Rahul is enjoying arguably his best Test run in the ongoing England series [Credit: Getty]

Former England batter Nick Compton questioned Team India's consistent chopping and changing with the example of KL Rahul ahead of the crucial fifth Test at the Oval, starting July 31. The visitors trail the five-match series 1-2 despite their incredible effort to draw the fourth Test at Manchester.

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India have struggled in the red-ball format in the past year, losing their previous two series against New Zealand and Australia by 0-3 and 1-3 margins, respectively.

In a conversation with Revsportz ahead of the series finale, Compton expressed surprise at India's inconsistencies with players and how even a veteran like Rahul regularly bats at different positions.

"Look at England. Root is always No. 4, the openers are settled. In India, Gill plays at No. 3, then someone else, then he comes back. It’s hard for players to find rhythm or confidence. Same with KL Rahul in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy – he was shuffled around a lot, and that’s bound to affect a player’s performance. I’m not making excuses – Rahul has underperformed at times," he said.
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Compton added:

"But he’s clearly a talented player. Some players just mature later. I think he’s now beginning to figure out his Test game. And with players like Karun Nair, I felt India moved on too quickly. England wouldn’t have dropped someone like that as quickly. Sai Sudharsan is a promising player, no doubt. But again, consistency in selection builds trust and confidence."
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Rahul batted at No. 6 in the home series against New Zealand ahead of the Australian tour last year. However, he opened the batting in the first three Tests against Australia before moving down to No. 3 for the fourth Test.

The 33-year-old has opened the batting in all four Tests thus far in the England series and delivered the goods with 511 runs at an average of 63.87, including two centuries.

"Kuldeep could be that wildcard" - Nick Compton

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Nick Compton believes left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav could be India's wildcard in the series-deciding fifth and final Test against England at the Oval. The 30-year-old has not played in any of the first four Tests, with India prioritizing batting depth in their lower order.

"Kuldeep gives them variety. You’ve got Jadeja, then the left-arm wrist spin of Kuldeep. Even if England have mostly seen him in white-ball formats, red ball is different. Kuldeep could be that wildcard," said Compton (via the aforementioned source).

Kuldeep boasts an excellent Test record with 56 wickets at an average of 22.16, including four 5-wicket hauls. Yet, he has played only 13 Tests since his debut in 2017.

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Edited by Venkatesh Ravichandran
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