India opener KL Rahul admitted that his overall Test numbers haven’t been impressive, even after registering his 11th century on Day 2 of the first Test against the West Indies in Ahmedabad. At the same time, he stressed that such statistics don’t trouble him as long as he sticks to his batting approach and game plans.
At 33, Rahul has demonstrated impressive form in the 2025 Test season, registering three centuries in seven innings at nearly a 50 average. Nevertheless, his overall Test average remains 36 across 64 matches, widely regarded as below par for a player of his calibre.
When questioned whether he reflects on these statistics and considers them an underachievement, Rahul stated to JioStar (6:25):
“I don’t let it bother me but it’s not that I don’t see it. Obviously I see it and ideally any batter would want their numbers to be as high as it can be. But right now it’s more important for me to make sure my game plans are tight and that I am enjoying my cricket.”
“Those are the boxes I want to tick more than thinking about numbers. There is enough sample size also for me to see that when I do these things well, automatically I start getting more runs and the numbers will go higher as well.”
He further continued:
“So it’s important to take it step by step and not go to step 3 first and forget the first two steps. But there is obviously expectations and pressure of numbers. And there is so much being spoken about it as cricket is a numbers game at the end of the day. But I try and focus on the simpler things that I can control as much as I can and then leave the rest up to God.”
“Every Batter Has A Unique Approach” – KL Rahul
KL Rahul explained that every batter follows a distinct game plan to construct their innings and find the right rhythm. At the same time, the experienced opener expressed his admiration for England’s aggressive Bazball approach, as well as the batting styles of his Indian teammates Yashasvi Jaiswal and Rishabh Pant.
“It’s how you plan your innings and what is your game plan. I am very excited to watch Bazball as well and the way they batted. It’s great if it’s part of their batters’ game plan, I am all for batters batting that way. We have Rishabh Pant in our lineup, Yashasvi Jaiswal as well, who likes being aggressive. So all batters have their specific game plan,” said Rahul.
He further added:
“Part of my game plan as an opener is to make sure I negate the new ball and make sure the team gets off to a solid start. And then once the spinners come on, identify what are the pockets I want to score off, based on the bounce, turn and the bowlers I am facing. But if I’ve walked into a game without a game plan, I’ve found out that I always struggle.”
Get the latest cricket news here, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram for more such updates.
