KL Rahul on his ODI career: Frustrating at times but can’t sulk

Opener KL Rahul finds it “frustrating” that he has played only 13 ODIs since making his India debut in 2016 but concedes that he cannot afford to sulk given the competition for places in the team. “I know how I have to work on my game. Whatever position I get I have to make best use of it. It is disheartening and frustrating at times. But given the competition, nobody is a sure-shot,” Rahul told reporters after the tie against Afghanistan in the Asia Cup on Tuesday — a game in which he scored 60 coming in as an opener.

“So you have to wait your turn. You have to be patient and work hard. Whenever I am not playing, it’s easy for me to sit and sulk why am I not playing. But I use that time to improve my fitness and game,” he said.

Rahul’s ODI career might be just 13-match old but he has already batted in four different positions, turning up most time (7) in the opening slot. Rahul said being in the top order is his position of comfort. “It has been challenging to bat at different positions. I have always batted at the top of the order from junior cricket and that is the most comfortable position for me,” he said.

“But in a team sport you need to be flexible and whatever the responsibility the team gives you need to put your hand up and do the best job you can. Unfortunately the chances I have got in the middle order haven’t gone my way,” he added.

Reflecting on his performance, the 26-year-old said he likes to play his strokes but is also learning to pace his innings. “I can’t really think about how many opportunities I get. Whatever chances I get I need to back my natural game. Coming in and out of the team, you don’t find your rhythm as soon as you walk in. Today I took my time in the middle,” he explained.

“I tried to go hard initially but I felt I wasn’t middling the ball too well. That’s when I told myself to face a few balls, play couple of overs, read the pace of the wicket. Get used to being in the middle again,” he added.

‘I shoud not have taken review’

Rahul says he regrets exhausting the review that could have saved the wickets of Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Dinesh karthik in the tied clash. “Obviously, looking back at it, I felt like I shouldn’t have taken the review but at that time, in the middle, I felt like maybe I was struck outside and I wanted to take that chance,” he said.

“Sometimes you can sit back here and review the review you took and say maybe you could have left it to the guys at the end but I felt like I could have been struck outside so I took that chance. Rahul said he would be more cautious in future situations. India are already through to the tournament final, which is scheduled for Friday. “We learn with it. The shot I played, the review that I took, I’ll have to go back and maybe if it happens again I’ll be in a better position to know what to do,” he said.

“I can’t really think about how many opportunities I get. Whatever chances I get I need to back my natural game”