England, they say, is the toughest place to debut for a sub-continental batsman. By that measure, Australia would rank second. KL Rahul faced that challenge head-on this past season and came out on top at Sydney, recovering from a nervous first Test at the awe-inducing MCG. Here he talks about those two Tests, his maiden Test hundred and his experiences Down Under, among other things as he prepares for the new season ahead.
Q: When you were selected for the Australian tour, it must have felt like the end of a process for you. And then there was another wait for your Test debut. Can you recount your experiences before the Test debut?
Rahul: Yes, the national call-up was some time coming. I felt I had scored some good runs in domestic cricket before that. Then, even on tour I had to sit out for the first part of the Test series. I didn't mind it because as a youngster you don't expect to walk into the side straightaway. There was much work to do, learn how the dressing room works while we played some practice matches, and I had MS Dhoni for company sitting out the first Test (in Adelaide) with me. So we talked a lot during that match and he gave me a good insight into what Test cricket and international cricket would be all about.
Q: Your debut at the MCG came in an unnatural batting position. How much impact did that have on you mentally?
Rahul: It was a very tough debut and yes the unnatural batting position did have an impact. I didn't really know what to do. I wasn't used to batting at that position, and it was a completely different ball game for me. I am used to facing the new ball, or at maximum coming down at number three. But here I was batting at number six and the ball was 100-odd overs old. I had no game plan, no strategy what to do, just went out to bat and I was a bag of nerves. That didn't help at all. So that was a horrific debut for me.
Q: How did the support staff help you overcome that disappointment?
Rahul: I have seen people get hundreds on their Test debuts and that is the dream of every batsman. But here I was, having a nightmarish start to my career. The one big thing about this Indian team is that the support staff is very good and encouraging. And I can say I am very lucky in that sense. After that match everyone came up to me and consoled me that it was okay, this happens and I should only concentrate on working harder. Each of them, Duncan Fletcher, Ravi Shastri, the captain and other senior players, came up and told me that I shouldn't be too hard on myself, and that they had faith in my ability. It helped my mood.
Q: Before we move to the SCG Test, let's talk about Dhoni's retirement. As a newcomer to the dressing room, what was your personal take on those events?
Rahul: It was a shocking announcement for all of us, not just me, the youngest member of the squad. He is one of the greatest leaders of Indian cricket and he has done so much for the team. It was a big series, a big tour, and the feeling was that we could win it. And when he announced his retirement we were sad that we couldn't give him a winning farewell. It was a very tough time for us, and as a youngster, well all I can say is that I always dreamt of playing with the likes of Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid in the same team.
But they retired before I came onto the scene. So MSD was the last name of that generation. I realized my dream of playing Test cricket with him, albeit it was only one match. It is sad in a way and I hoped at that time I would get to play more with him, but I guess he felt the time was right for him to walk away. I am sure that he will be involved with the dressing room in the near future as well and can continue to guide us youngsters.
KL Rahul
Q: Okay, let us talk about the Sydney Test. After a horrific start, how did you prepare for it? Was it easy to get your bearings right immediately after?
Rahul: There was something about that city, as soon as I reached there from Melbourne, immediately I started feeling very relaxed and comfortable. There was a week's gap to the fourth test and we had some team building events, so that helped too. But I felt completely fresh and wanted to move on from my debut debacle. I decided to not carry the Melbourne baggage with me. And the management gave me confidence by selecting me for the SCG Test and asking me to open.
But what I can say, I had a horrible start to that match as well. I dropped a sitter in the slips and was feeling very low. I thought things couldn't get worse and if they could, where would this end for me? And then Virat came to me and said that everyone drops catches, so I shouldn't think too much about it. Other senior players told me the same. I told myself that the only way from there was upwards.
Q: So how were your nerves when you went to bat? Talk us through that maiden Test hundred.
Rahul: Oh, I was a big bundle of nerves. Immediately as I started batting, I pushed at a few balls straightaway, playing away from the body. Till then I hadn't thought much about it, but then I calmed myself down and decided to play each ball on its merit. I tried to bat for as long as possible, watch the ball as late as possible and play as per the delivery's merit.
I really enjoyed that debut hundred. I think I played well and restarted my Test career after a disappointing MCG Test. I made sure that I played every ball individually and left the ball well throughout that innings. There was one spell that was very testing for me. Mitchell Starc was bowling short deliveries and bouncers and there was some chatter and I was hopping and jumping to quiet a few of them. The crowd was getting behind the bowlers and the atmosphere felt quite electric. I was wondering to myself how will I get through it. And then I managed to do it, and that is something that will stay with me for some time to come. It was a tough challenge but I worked hard and was able to see through it.
Q: You mentioned chatter. Who was the most talkative out of the Australian players? Any particular incident you might recall?
Rahul: Well (laughs), David Warner is the one name that comes to mind. But I didn't mind it at all because we are teammates in IPL and he is a very nice and helpful guy when we play for SRH. And that's the thing I love most about Australian cricketers, they are very tough competitors on the field and off it, they are very nice guys and treat you very well and in a friendly manner. If there is one incident that comes to mind, it was from that tough Starc spell, when I was skipping and jumping to his bouncers. He said to me why don't you do some Indian dance, and did some moves using his arms and all. I thought that was funny, so I just smiled back!
Q: One final question about the Australian tour. At a young age, you have a hundred in Sydney. How has this trip helped your growth as a cricketer?
Rahul: This Australian tour took my confidence to a whole new high. I played cricket at a whole new level and I never thought I could achieve what I managed to achieve over there. In a way, I rediscovered myself being able to do that. Since I was a kid I was watching cricket in Australia on TV and I never thought I could do all that. But I went there and faced the likes of Mitchell Johnson, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon in their den, with the crowd behind their back, with chatter from slip cordon and was able to achieve something. I just want to go back there and play some more.
KL Rahul
Q: You had an indifferent IPL afterwards. Do you feel you need to bridge the gap to that format?
Rahul: Probably, but it cannot be the same every time I go out to bat. Sometimes there will be ups and downs, but I try to enjoy myself every time I go out to bat. I cannot control if it doesn't work out for me. This helps me come back stronger after every failure, and this is something I have learnt from my childhood days and will always take forward with me. I had started the season well, especially after the domestic season with Karnataka. I played well through the practice games before IPL as well. I had some decent starts in the matches I played but I couldn't convert them into proper scores. I would say it was a good performance, not a great performance, not a great IPL season.
Q: You have had a long break now, missing the Bangladesh tour. Shikhar Dhawan scored a hundred there, and now you might have to wait to get back to the first eleven. How do you feel about this competition for your place in the side already?
Rahul: I was disappointed not to tour Bangladesh. It wasn't an injury, but an illness, so I couldn't really blame myself. I was disappointed because I wanted to be in the Indian team and wanted to keep playing Test cricket. But that was something not in my control.
It was good to see Shikhar doing well. Competition for the opening slot is only good for the team because it provides different options. But I don't consider Shikhar and Murali Vijay as competitors. They are senior players and they were very helpful when I first joined the squad (in Australia) giving me tips how to face the new ball and welcoming me to the Test level. They looked after me like a little brother so it's not about competition at all. In this Indian team the age group is pretty similar and we gel well together.
Q: In India, cricketers are under constant scrutiny. How has life changed in this last six months?
Rahul: I have just played two Tests, so life hasn't changed drastically for me, I think. I am still the same simple guy who is trying to do his basics right on the field and off it I am just trying to find myself. I think we need to be responsible as players and take care of ourselves in terms of fitness and discipline. I really rediscovered myself on that Australian tour and found out different things about myself.
Cricket teaches you many things in life. You can be in any difficult spot and then you have to think your way out of it and adapt to the situation. The confidence to be able to do so comes from success on the field, I guess. As regards my personal lifestyle though, nothing much has changed.
No comments:
Post a Comment