Shreyas Iyer vs KL Rahul - whose comeback is more important for India in 2023?

Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul are two of several key members of the Indian side trying to make their way back from long injury layoffs. Iyer suffered a back injury during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy earlier this year and was ruled him out of the following IPL.

Meanwhile, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) skipper KL Rahul picked up an injury to his thigh during the IPL clash against the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). He was subsequently ruled out of the remainder of the tournament.

The duo have since been out of action and slowly working back to full fitness ahead of the ODI World Cup at home in October. The Board of Control of India (BCCI) provided a positive update on the pair, stating Iyer and Rahul have resumed batting in the nets and are currently undergoing strength and fitness drills.

While both players are crucial assets that bring different aspects to the team, it may be worthwhile analyzing their impact across formats keeping in mind India's upcoming schedule this year.

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#1 Iyer vs Rahul in white-ball formats

KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer have shored up India's middle order in white-ball cricket.

The duo of KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer boast sensational numbers in the white-ball formats for India and their respective IPL franchises. A closer look at the numbers and other factors could better indicate the more valuable commodity between the two.

Overall

Since debuting for India in ODIs in 2016, KL Rahul has been arguably their most versatile cricketer. The 31-year-old has batted at all positions from opening to No. 6 and has performed admirably in the varying roles.

Rahul has an overall ODI average of 45.13 in 54 matches, with five centuries and 13 half-centuries to his name. Noteworthy is that he has opened the batting 23 times and played in the middle order at No. 4-6 on another 26 occasions.

Despite the changing roles, Rahul has averaged over 40 as an opener in ODIs and over 45 in the middle order. He has also added value for team balance by playing as a wicketkeeper in 18 out of his 54 ODIs. The stylish batter averages a stellar 55.64 with the bat when playing as the gloveman.

On the other hand, Shreyas Iyer has played all 38 of his ODI games at No. 3,4 and 5. The 28-year-old averages a spectacular 46.60, with two centuries and 14 half-centuries.

The T20Is paint a slightly different picture, with both players showcasing great prowess with the bat mixed with some inconsistencies. While Rahul has once again batted as an opener and in the middle order frequently, Iyer has predominantly batted at No. 3-6.

However, the Karnataka batter averages substantially more than Iyer in the shortest format - 37.75 and 30.67, respectively. Their strike rates are similar in T20Is - high 130s, while Iyer has a much higher strike rate in ODIs - 96 to 86.

Recent form

The more recent form makes the comparison between the duo slightly tricky as both batters have barely played in T20s, but KL Rahul has a clear edge in the 50-over format.

While Rahul and Iyer haven't played in a single T20I this year, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) skipper averaged 35 to Rahul's 29 in 2022. Iyer also did not play in this IPL season, where Rahul endured a dismal time until his injury, with a lowly strike rate of 113.

However, the script gets flipped in the ODI format, with the LSG skipper averaging an incredible 56.50 in six games and Iyer averaging only 31.33 in his three matches.

More valuable

It is undeniable that while both KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer boast excellent numbers in ODIs and T20Is, the Karnataka batter has been the more valuable overall cricketer. Except for the recent T20 form, Rahul has a clear edge in numbers and intangibles (ability to bat at different positions and wicket-keeping).

However, considering this being an ODI World Cup season, KL Rahul's overall experience and numbers with his form pre-injury make him a vital piece to India's title hopes. Adding to his impressive numbers is that Rahul can open or bat in the middle order while keeping wickets.

This makes the LSG skipper arguably the most valuable player for team balance and certainly more important to have back in the team this year.

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# 2 Iyer vs Rahul in Test Cricket

The duo have played contrasting roles in the red-ball format.

Although Team India does not play many Test matches post the ongoing West Indies tour, they will partake in a three-match Test series in South Africa later this year. Team India are yet to record an away Test series win against the Proteas.

While there is a vast difference in experience between the duo in the red-ball format, it is still worthwhile looking at their overall and recent performances.

Overall

Despite playing substantially lesser games, Shreyas Iyer boasts more impressive Test numbers than KL Rahul. Iyer averages 44.40 in ten Tests with a century and five half-centuries. On the other hand, Rahul averages only 33.44 after 47 Tests, with seven centuries and 13 fifties.

However, a key stat is that the Karnataka batter has played almost 66 percent of his games away from home, while Iyer has played all but one match in the Asian subcontinent. Another key difference is that Rahul has played almost all his Tests as an opener, while the Mumbai-born Iyer has batted exclusively in the middle order.

Recent form

Recent form has not been kind to either player, with Rahul averaging a dismal 16 in six Tests since 2022 and Iyer averaging 10.50 in three games this year. However, the latter was sensational in 2021 and 2022, averaging close to 60 in seven games.

More Valuable

Shreyas Iyer certainly has a case for being the more valuable Test player going by the numbers. However, with the struggles of Shubman Gill in the red-ball format, KL Rahul might offer more to the Test side in its current state.

Rahul also has experience in South Africa, having led the side in the 2021 tour despite tasting a 1-2 series defeat.

Despite mediocre overall numbers, the 31-year-old scored a century and a half-century on difficult batting conditions in the previous tour of South Africa, with an average close to 38.

Considering the above, it is probably a dead heat between Iyer and Rahul for the more valuable Test player to the Indian side.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul are two of the most valuable assets of Indian cricket, especially in white ball cricket. However, with the immediate priority being the 50-over World Cup, KL Rahul's overwhelming value screams being more worthy than Shreyas Iyer.

Rahul brings in more experience with his featuring in the 2019 World Cup. The LSG skipper also gives the team more options with his ability to bat at different positions and handle the gloves should Rishabh Pant's recovery take longer than expected.