KL Rahul has experienced a number of ups and downs throughout his career and in his position as a batsman.
He batted at No. 6 for the first two Tests of his career before moving up to the opening position for the second. After Mayank Agarwal suffered an injury in the eleventh hour, he was selected as a backup middle-order batter for his return to Test cricket in England in 2021.
In the ODIs, the shuttle service also followed. At the beginning of the 2019 World Cup, Rahul saw himself as the answer to the recurring issue at No. 4. After Shikhar Dhawan’s injury, he returned to the starting lineup four matches later. Rahul had batted at No. 8 eight times before the beginning of 2020.
4 or fewer in one-day matches, including domestic List A matches, but never a fifty. Rahul was left watching videos of Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, and Kane Williamson on the art of batting in the middle overs in preparation for a new role at No. 5 in a short series against Australia at the turn of the new millennium.
India was once again trying to fit three openers into a XI, which included Rahul, Dhawan, and Rohit Sharma. He scored 80 at Rajkot and 88* and 112 at Hamilton and Mount Maunganui the following month.
India’s ODI No. 5 batsman Rahul played his 15th innings on Thursday (January 12). At a strike rate of 102.03, he pitches at an average of 54.25, including a hundred and six fifties, providing middle-order stability.
His anchoring of the chase in Kolkata with a measured 64* was just another example of his value to the ODI side. Barring another shake-up, he will be projected to play the same role at the home World Cup later this year. This is despite his inconsistent returns in other formats.
You have to play spin right away because the ball is a little older, which is not how I usually play. That’s where Rohit [Sharma] wants me to bat, and he’s made it abundantly clear to me. Therefore, I am now challenging myself to adapt to this position,” Rahul stated to Star Sports following the game.
The fact that you don’t have to rush back into batting is one thing I really like. Before entering, you have time to feet up, take a refreshing shower, enjoy a satisfying meal, and then look around to see what’s going on.
That is one advantage of batting at No. 5,” he continued. Rahul, on the other hand, insists that the team’s confidence in his ability to play a variety of roles is reflected in his varying batting positions.
He is not bothered by them. as he has been in this Sri Lanka series, scoring from a strong base in Guwahati to winning a difficult chase in Kolkata. I try to do what the team tells me to do. Throughout my time playing for India, I’ve done that,” he stated.
“I have performed at No. 5, I have performed at No. 4, I’ve been given the task of keeping wickets. I’ve always thrived when I’ve had to work hard and under pressure. It shows me that the team supports me and has faith in me.
It has helped me learn more about myself and my batting. You need to be prepared or able to be flexible in order to perform any job that is given to you when choosing a team sport as a sport or profession.”