With the team management focused on World Cup, Rahul was racing against time but he proved his mettle with two straight half-centuries against England Lions. The Karnataka batsman made a positive return to the national side, slamming a classy 50 and an entertaining 47 in the two-match T20I series against Australia which concluded here at the Chinnaswamy stadium on Wednesday.
The right-hander admitted that it was a tough one and a half months. “It has been a hard time, no doubt,” Rahul noted. “It has humbled me as a person. As a player, as a person everyone has to go through difficult times and it was my time to go through that. It gave me the time to reflect on my game, on myself. I have always been somebody who takes things as it comes and I am just happy to be back here now,” Rahul said after the match.
The 26-year-old, who was struggling for runs, said he focused on his technique during the period. “I got some time off from international cricket. So I could come back here and reflect on what wasn’t going right for me. Fortunately, I got to play some India ‘A’ game where the pressure is a little less. I spent a lot of time with Rahul Dravid, working on my game and chatting about cricket. He helped me a lot in the games I played for India ‘A’,” he explained.
Rahul said it was good to be back in the national set-up. “I am just happy that I have tasted a bit of success in the last two games and my batting has come out pretty well. I have always been somebody who takes things as it comes and I am just happy to be back here now.
“I obviously respect the opportunity that I have got to play for the country. It is the dream of every kid and I am no different. Just to value where I am and keep making the opportunities count by putting my head down will be my goal,” he said.