Even the very experienced aren’t immune to the vicissitudes of not having a settled place in the batting order. Just how much role clarity and preparation can positively impact a cricketer has never been more obvious than in KL Rahul’s case.

Some 23 months, the 34-year-old was shunted down to No. 6 where, coincidentally, he batted on his debut in Melbourne in December 2014. After three Tests, two against Bangladesh and first of three against New Zealand, he was dropped from the playing XI, only to be recalled as opener when skipper Rohit Sharma missed the Perth Test in November 2024 due to the birth of his second child. Since then, apart from in Melbourne when he came in at one-drop, Rahul has exclusively occupied the opening slot, alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal. Rohit’s retirement in May last year meant he knew the opening position was his for the taking; Rahul has emphatically made one of the two berths his own with a wonderful run of consistency.