KL Rahul relishes the rigours of batting at No.5

The second ODI versus Sri Lanka at the Eden Garden on January 12 marked Rahul’s 15th innings as a No.5 for India in the format. He averages 54.25 at a strike-rate of 102.03, with a hundred and six fifties to his name at the difficult position. The experienced right-hander provides solidity and ballast in equal measure to the team. Notwithstanding his lukewarm returns in other formats, his robust anchoring of the chase in Kolkata with a calculated 64* was just another proof of his value to the ODI side and save for a rejig, he will be penciled in to play the same role at the World Cup at home later this year.