Okay.L. Rahul: Batting in any place now not a problem; simply wish to be in enjoying XI

India’s Okay.L. Rahul has made peace with the vary of positions he has been requested to bat in. File image
| Picture Credit score: AP

Australia is the land the place all of it started for Okay.L. Rahul. Again within the December of 2014, the Karnataka star made his Take a look at debut at Melbourne and has had fairly the trip during the last decade. Be it robust limbs and fractured bones or a whole lot and noughts, Rahul has seen all of them.

With very important runs (26 and 77) at Perth, the batter is now set for the second Take a look at in Adelaide from Friday (December 6, 2024). On Wednesday (December 4, 2024) afternoon, Rahul was all in regards to the measured reply whereas addressing the media on the Adelaide Oval’s basement corridor.

Nevertheless, the million-dollar query about whether or not he’ll open was handled a cryptic response: “I’ve been informed (about the place I’ll bat), however I’ve additionally been informed to not share it. You’ll have to watch for day one (of the Take a look at) or possibly when the captain (Rohit Sharma) comes tomorrow (Thursday).”

Evolving batting positions, starting from opening to the quantity six slot, have shadowed Rahul’s decade-long Worldwide profession. He has made his peace with it: “I simply wish to be within the enjoying XI and bat for the staff. Early on, after I was requested to bat in other places, it was a problem mentally. However now that I’ve performed in ODIs and in Take a look at cricket, and everywhere, it has given me an thought as to how I have to handle my innings, particularly the beginning. The primary 30-40 balls matter, if I can handle that, then every part else looks like common batting.”

At Perth, Rahul performed the calm mentor to centurion Yashasvi Jaiswal within the second innings. Their 201-run alliance was one of many causes for India’s triumph. There was additionally a trickle-down concept at work as Rahul handed on the information he imbibed from Murali Vijay.

Rahul, proper, says he sees a bit of little bit of himself in Yashaswi Jaiswal, left, like when he debuted in Australia 10 years in the past
| Picture Credit score:
Getty Photographs

“I shared no matter I’ve learnt from enjoying in Australia and dealing with the brand new ball. I noticed a bit of little bit of myself (in Jaiswal) like after I was right here 10 years in the past, opening the batting for the primary time. A number of doubts, loads of nerves. So much occurs in your head. The one factor you are able to do is sluggish issues, take a couple of deep breaths and give attention to one factor. And that’s what was handed on to me by my then-opening accomplice Murali Vijay. So I simply handed that on to Jaiswal,” Rahul stated.

The upcoming fixture at Adelaide may also pit Rahul in opposition to the pink ball: “This will probably be my first pink-ball Take a look at. It’s a bit completely different to the purple ball by way of how effectively you see and choose the ball from the bowler’s hand. That’s been a problem. Hopefully by the point the sport begins, we will have had sufficient observe classes.”

The batter hopes that his newest sojourn in Australia would assist him chart a contemporary path. “Planning to get a tattoo after the Sydney Take a look at,” he stated, and it’s one other ritual he indulges in whereas being Down Underneath.