Rahul makes a statement

Right-hander sheds the tag of 'longer-format-player'

Just over a month ago, KL Rahul had been dropped from Royal Challengers Bangalore’s away match against Gujarat Lions. But as fate would have it, his replacement, Mandeep Singh, suffered an injury during warm-up after the toss and Rahul was brought back into the side.

It was the defining moment of this IPL for the Karnataka batsman who struck a 35-ball unbeaten 51 and has only grown in strength since. Before Lions’ match, Rahul didn’t have single fifty but this season alone he has four of them. Along with his wicketkeeping, he has brought immense value to RCB. The impact of his batting could be gauged from his inclusion in India’s limited-overs squad to Zimbabwe.
  
“You should tell me (if it has changed),” retorted Rahul when asked if he has shed his longer-format-player image. “For me there was never a doubt about the skill. But obviously I hadn't put in the same kind of performances in the previous years. I got the opportunity this year; I thought I was prepared and ready. To be bought by RCB was a very big thing for me. I have always wanted to play here. My form has been good. Hopefully one more good innings for me and for the team and we can win the championship,” he offered.

Analysing his game

While he couldn’t do much in the run-up to the tournament after injuring his hand in a freak accident, he did analyse his game by watching his batting footage. Though there isn’t much that the right-hander had to tweak in his game, there has been a change in his mental approach to the format.  

“When I had the time off I had the time to sit back and watch a few videos from the previous years to see what I have been doing wrong. Mostly, it has been a mental change and I have just gone out there and played with a lot of freedom and not talked too much about the game and too much about the results. I have just stuck to playing my game and realised what works best for me and that is to play cricket shots and that is what I have done throughout the tournament and that has been the biggest secret maybe this season,” he reasoned.

India haven’t picked a second specialist wicketkeeper for the Test series in the West Indies in July-August and selection committee chairman had said that the panel was keen on Rahul donning the big gloves more often so that he is ready in case of an emergency and Rahul wasn’t averse to the idea.

“I started my cricket as a wicket-keeper, in the junior format,” he pointed out. “I had taken a break for a few years. I've always enjoyed wicket-keeping and whenever the team has wanted me to keep or somebody has got injured, I've filled in. I might have to take it up a little more seriously now and work on my wicket-keeping. It opens up a different dimension for me as a cricketer. It gives the team the option of playing an extra batsman or bowler. I'm happy to take up that role. I'll obviously have to work a lot harder on my wicket-keeping.”