KL Rahul scored the last of his five Test centuries at The Oval in September 2018. He had scored just 150 runs in nine innings on that tour before that innings, and his position was in doubt. But he turned things around with a charming 149 on the final day as he and Rishabh Pant almost made a coup before falling short. In England, almost two years after he last played a Test, Rahul is more "focused and determined" and less worried about being dropped.
He told BCCI.tv, "When I was dropped in 2018, I had to go back and discuss with the coaches, watch a lot of videos to see where I was faltering and try to fix it. Of." "I'm happy, taking a break from Test cricket (has helped). As they say, failure makes you stronger, makes you more focused and determined about the game. It's no different for me. I look forward to opportunities. trying to be very calm and more disciplined."
Rahul is currently a back-up middle-order batsman - and not an opener as of 2018 - in the Test squad, and is not guaranteed a place in the first XI for the series opener at Trent Bridge starting on 4 August. However, if Ajinkya Rahane does not recover in time from a hamstring injury, he can join the team.
Rahul said that innings at The Oval was down to play with a sense of freedom. "I remember the Oval being the best batting pitch we've had in the entire series," he said. "In my mind, I also knew that this was the last game of the series and I had not done well in the series. So, it was only realistic that I would not get a chance in the next series.
"I wanted to make it count, enjoy my batting. I had a sense of freedom in my head. I thought this might be my last chance to let go and enjoy my game. Me and Rishabh, Had we fought for an hour more, we could have won the game. That would have been historic, the icing on the cake. But I would still hold the Oval (very close to my heart)."
Rahul has featured in only two first-class matches in the last 18 months, but his century in India's only tour game against a County Select XI last week has revived hopes of a Test comeback. His last Test was in the West Indies in August–September 2019, in the series that marked the beginning of India's World Test Championship campaign. Since then, while his white-ball credentials have skyrocketed, his red-ball stocks have taken a hit.
An arm injury caused him to miss the Australia tour in December-January and parts of the England series at home. He had to undergo surgery for appendicitis during the IPL in May. Now, on his second Test tour of England, Rahul felt that he was more aware of his game.
"It's always good to score runs in the white kit," he said of his century last week. "It's been a while since I've played a red-ball game, so it was great to be there and score runs. It's important to be patient and wait for my turn. I'm working on my game. Taking some time off and on It's good to score some runs.
"I've always been self-confident. I've never really worried about confidence. It's my self-confidence that has gotten me so far, but it's about maintaining a calm mind, learning from my mistakes. I'm just enjoying my game. I've made mistakes, I've learned from them. I grow stronger. Like I said it's a good chance again, hope fingers are crossed, I'll be there for the team I can work."
During that practice match in Durham, Rahul had the additional responsibility of keeping wickets, as Pant and Wriddhiman Saha were unavailable due to the COVID-19 protocol. This is nothing new for him, it is part of his job profile in short-format cricket anyway.
"It's a good opportunity to test my body and wicketkeeping skills," he said. "The extra responsibility really bothered me (laughs) but other than that, it was good timing and it gives me a good chance to stay in the game. Especially when it's a practice game, sometimes it can feel long. But when you are 'keeping wickets, you need to stay focused and you are in the game all the time. So, I enjoyed it a lot'.