Best Asian ODI XI of the year 2020

KL Rahul (IND) (wk)

Rahul, the 28-year-old Karnataka ‘keeper-batsman, had a strong reputation for his batting ever since he debuted in the international circuit. It was doubts over his wicket-keeping skills, though, that kept him side-lined out of the national reckoning for quite some time.

However, ever since the management invested their faith on Rahul as the white-ball team’s full-time gloveman last year, his game has been on a constant rise. But it was this year, in 2020, though, that Rahul really hit the peak of his form- in regards to both batting and keeping.

Rahul appeared in each of the Indian team’s 9 ODI appearances this year, spanned across India, New Zealand, and Australia. And in those 9 outings, Rahul scored a cumulative total of 443-runs at an average of 55.37. It was a big departure from the opening role he’s accustomed to, but he still found his mojo and batted at a solid strike-rate of 106.23. The tally includes a century at the Bay Oval, and three fifties.

Additionally, he was able to inflict 12 dismissals (10 catches, 2 stumpings) as the team’s first choice keeper. The BCCI rewarded Rahul’s fine run of form- international, domestic, and at the IPL- by promoting him to a vice-captaincy role and a renewed run in the test team. 2020 turned out to be a great year for Rahul, and his fans would be eager to see him have an even better 2021.