after taking India After scoring an unbeaten 64 in a tense four-wicket win over Sri Lanka, KL Rahul said the dual role of wicketkeeping and batting at No.5 in ODIs has helped him understand his game a bit better.
Chasing 216, India were in a precarious position at 86/4. That’s when Rahul came in and stepped into the pressure situation to take India over the line to take an unassailable 2-0 lead.
In his unbeaten 64 in Kolkata, Rahul played 60 dot balls and hit six fours, while taking 34 singles and three twos. It was a knock in which Rahul had to stay alert and then open with a cool head and chase down the target with 40 balls to spare.
“Obviously, I have done it for a few years. From the end of 2019, during 2020 and in some matches of 2021, I played this role of batting in the middle order. It is not a new thing. The team has given me this position and Gave time to get into the role.
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“When you have the support of your captain and coach, it helps you focus and bring your 100 per cent concentration on what the team is expecting and what they want from you. Yes, it’s different to what I do in other formats, but it keeps me on my toes, challenges me – a different role helps me understand my game a bit better,” he said after the match. Said in the press conference.
In 15 innings at number five, Rahul, once seen as a backup opener, now averages 54.25 and has a strike rate of 102.23, reminding everyone that he is clean apart from his 64 not out in Kolkata. What do you get from neat keeping? Behind the wicket, he admitted that a lot of hard work has gone in behind the scenes.
When it comes to batting in the middle order, I have to do things a little differently. Wicket-keeping and batting can be a bit more taxing on the body as I haven’t done it for a very long time, I have done it in white-ball cricket.
“It’s the tough part. But since I know that’s what is required of me, I try to manage my body and work more on my fitness. A little work on my wicket-keeping and middle-order batting and spin. Lots of work on batting against.”
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Rahul and Hardik Pandya weathered the early storm and then took advantage of loose deliveries from the Sri Lankan bowlers to put on a crucial 75 off 119 balls. While Hardik fell, Rahul stitched an unbeaten 30 and 28 with Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav.
In the years since his ODI debut in 2016, Rahul has played multiple roles – opening the batting, slotting in the middle order as well as being a keeper. Asked to reflect on his ODI career so far, Rahul felt that his efforts in various positions and scenarios showed that the think tank trusted him for the team.
“Any role that helps win matches for my team and country is what satisfies me the most. First of all I want to be in the playing XI, that is the most important thing. I try to do whatever the team wants me to do. That’s what I’ve done the whole time I’ve played for India.”
“I remember the first Test I batted in, I batted at number six. Then I opened Then I was at number six in 2019 (ODI) World cup. Then after Shikhar (Dhawan) got injured, I had to go back to open again. I have played at number five, I have played at number four, I have been asked to keep wickets. I think it’s a lot of fun for me.
I have performed well in difficult situations and under pressure. It tells me that the team trusts and supports me. It has helped me understand my batting and myself better. When you decide to choose a team sport as a sport or profession, you have to be willing or flexible to do whatever work is asked of you.”
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Despite all the ups and downs, Rahul insists that facing various challenges and then emerging victorious in ODIs has been a pleasure for him.
“I’m all over, I’ve been asked to keep wicket. It’s been fun for me. I’ve really enjoyed being thrown with different challenges. I really enjoy performing in tough situations and being under pressure. I’m ready for
“It only tells me that the team really trusts me and supports me under the leadership of Virat and Rohit. I really enjoyed doing this. It helped me understand myself, my game and my batting better. How do I handle pressure when I am pushed out of my comfort zone?”
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(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed)