'Custom-made at No. 4' - Matthew Hayden names like-for-like replacement of Virat Kohli in Tests

The Indian team is ready to play the five-match Test series against England. While the squads are announced, it is still a mystery who will be playing at number four in the upcoming five-game tour, with Shubman Gill and Karun Nair being the front-runners to replace Virat Kohli at the spot. Meanwhile, former Australia cricketer Matthew Hayden has picked dynamic batter KL Rahul as one of the candidates to bat at the position.

The number four position belonged to some of the most legendary players in Indian cricket, which include the likes of Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli, who recently stepped down from the format. Looking at the squad composition, it looks like Rahul might open the batting with Yashasvi Jaiswal, Hayden, however, believes that the 33-year-old could be the perfect like-for-like replacement for Virat at number four. The former opener also opened up on why he thinks that the Karnataka batter should not be opening alongside Jaiswal, especially in England.

“I have just got one other issue here as well. KL Rahul, he will open. I am just going to make that call. My problem with that is I believe he is your best player in Test match cricket. He can be a like-for-like replacement of Virat Kohli, absolutely custom-made at No. 4," Hayden told via Star Sports.

“The reason why I don't like him as an opening batter, and we saw this in Australia as well, he gets out 57% of the time caught behind, nicked off. So he looks so technically sound, how amazing is it, and then suddenly he is out," he further observed.

KL Rahul, is a sure thing in English conditions: Matthew Hayden

Hayden further supported his statement by saying that Rahul is a sure thing in the tough overcast conditions in the UK and has claimed that he is right now the best player for India in Test cricket, and might need that extra protection. According to the cricketer-turned-commentator, Rahul can play the perfect anchor role at number four if the damage is already done with the new ball.

“For me, that bit of protection around your best player, KL Rahul, is a sure thing in English conditions, and maybe the best place to bat in England as well. When the damage is done with the new ball, you can come in and you can just set out your stalls," Hayden added.

“It can be the hardest place to bat, and then it can be the easiest place to bat in the world as well when the sun is out and it's shining, and you are just there going 'Hello, I am batting all day here.' To me, that's the key point of difference. It's not going to happen. I don't believe, but if I were a selector, that's what would happen,” he concluded.