KL Rahul is the 'ideal' batter to replace Virat Kohli at No. 4 in the Indian Test team, said former Indian selector Saba Karim. Since Kohli announced his retirement from Test cricket in May, there has been a lot of discussion about who would fill the void in the Indian team during the upcoming Test series against England.

"Well, in the absence of Kohli, Rahul's role is monumental. And I look at him as a batter who can bat at number four," Karim told NDTV.

"Many people have suggested different batting positions, but I feel that KL is ideal to replace or take over the role of Virat Kohli at number four, because at number four, he can play a dual role — of negotiating the early setback if that happens in the Indian side, and then he can carry the innings forward. He does have the right kind of technique. He has done well in England," he added.

Rahul recently displayed his calibre as a batter when he smashed 116 in India A's second unofficial Test against the England Lions while opening the innings.

"He has a temperament. And I think with the past season, season and a half, there is a lot of maturity that has come in. So I think that's the kind of responsibility the Indian team management will look at," stated Karim.

Rahul has so far played 58 Tests for India and scored 3,257 runs at an average of 33.57. "It is not going to be easy because things have changed. The game itself has evolved. Strategies have evolved. So for someone who's making a comeback after so many years, he will need a lot of backing from the Indian side to do well in England. Experience of playing domestic cricket, experience of scoring tons of runs in domestic cricket, and also these couple of matches that India played — from a couple of practice matches that India played — all that should come in handy," he added.

"He has experience of playing county cricket. So if he can remain in that kind of a zone, then I think both these lads from Bangalore should be extremely useful for India’s chances," Karim said.

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