India batter KL Rahul has shared his view that stepping away from the game may not be as difficult as it is often perceived when the time eventually comes. The Karnataka cricketer last featured in the three-match home ODI series against New Zealand, which India lost 2–1. On Monday, January 26, Rahul appeared in a video on the YouTube channel The Switch, where he spoke with former England batter Kevin Pietersen.
Rahul stated that retirement would not be particularly difficult, as players who are honest with themselves usually recognise the right time to step away. He added that the toughest phase is dealing with the mental struggles during injury setbacks, which can leave a player feeling they have given everything and tempt them to consider stepping away from the sport.
Rahul stated:
“I don’t think it’s gonna be that difficult. If you’re honest with yourself, when it’s time, it’s time. And there’s no point dragging it. Obviously, I’m some time away. There have been times when I’m injured, and that’s the hardest battle to face, more than the pain from physios or surgeons.”
“It’s the mental battle where your mind just gives up. You know, when it happens so many times, your mind is just like, you’ve done enough. You’ve been lucky enough that cricket’s given you enough money. You can survive for the next how many ever years.”
“Knowing when to step away is the hardest part. Cricket will go on, life has bigger priorities, and becoming a father has completely changed how I look at everything,” he added.
KL Rahul has played 233 matches for India across formats
KL Rahul made his international debut in a Test against Australia in December 2014 and has since played 67 matches in the longest format. The right-handed batter has accumulated 4,053 runs at an average of 35.86, registering 20 half-centuries and 11 centuries.
In limited-overs cricket, Rahul has featured in 94 ODIs, scoring 3,360 runs at an average of 50.90 with a strike rate of 90.44, including 20 fifties and eight hundreds. He has played 72 T20Is for India, scoring 2,265 runs at an average of 37.75 and a strike rate of 139.16, with 22 fifties and two centuries.
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