Like a yo-yoing pendulum, KL Rahul has swung up and down the Indian Test batting order in the last 11 months. In South Africa in December-January, he dropped down to No. 6 for the first time in his career and marked the shift with a hundred in his first hit in that slot, in Centurion. A month later, he was batting at No. 4 against England in Hyderabad, where he made a sparkling 86 in the first innings and 22 in the second before doing his hamstring, which forced him to miss the remaining four matches.

Back and forth

At home in September-October, he was back at No. 6 for three Tests against Bangladesh and New Zealand, until he was dropped for the last two games against the Kiwis. And in Perth 10 days back, he was pushed back to the top of the order again with Rohit Sharma unavailable, and again pulled the fat out of the fire with 26 in the first knock and 77 in the second, when he and Yashasvi Jaiswal added 201 for the opening wicket.