Team India batter KL Rahul shared that he has stopped worrying about his batting position over the past few years. He emphasized that he’s comfortable adapting to different roles and is ready to face any challenge the team requires. In recent seasons, Rahul has frequently shifted up and down the batting order as India experimented for more flexibility.
But with Rohit Sharma retiring from Test cricket, Rahul was reintegrated as an opener. He responded with a gritty 42 in the first innings of the Leeds Test against England, followed by a superb 137 in the second. Speaking at the press conference after the fourth day’s play on Monday, June 23, the 33-year-old brushed aside concerns about lacking a permanent spot in the XI.
As quoted by ESPNcricinfo, Rahul said: “The last couple of years I’ve forgotten what my position is and what I’m comfortable doing. I’m happy to be given different responsibilities and different roles. Makes the game exciting and makes me want to challenge myself and train that much harder and work on my game a little bit more. So I’ve quite enjoyed doing that.”
The right-handed batter expressed that he has thoroughly enjoyed returning to the role of an opener, as it brings back memories of his early years in cricket. He said:
“And the last couple of series, my role has been to open the batting, and I’ve enjoyed doing that as well. Yeah, I mean that’s something that I did growing up and all my early years as a cricketer was me opening the batting. So yeah, I’m happy that I’m back doing that, and I’m happy that I’m doing the job for the team.”
KL Rahul’s Performance As An Opener In Tests
KL Rahul has featured as an opener in 49 Test matches, amassing 2,982 runs across 85 innings at an average of 36.36, with a highest score of 199. Notably, eight of his nine centuries and 14 out of his 17 fifties have come while opening the batting.
In contrast, his numbers in other positions are modest. At No. 3, he has scored 112 runs in five innings at an average of 16. Batting at No. 4, he has accumulated 108 runs from two innings, while at No. 6, he has scored 234 runs in nine innings.
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