KL Rahul gives ‘shout out’ to India coach for helping him find love in playing white-ball cricket: ‘I lost the fun of…’

Delhi Capitals batter KL Rahul opened up about how he has found the fun in playing white-ball cricket once again, all thanks to Team India assistant coach Abhishek Nayar. Rahul faced criticism for his strike rate in the past few seasons of IPL as he lost his place in India's T20I set-up after the 2022 T20 World Cup. Meanwhile, to retain his place in the ODI team, Rahul, 32, has to become the quintessential team player, willingly adapting to every role – whether opening the innings, batting in the middle order, or donning the gloves across formats. KL Rahul scored 77 runs off 51 balls against CSK in the IPL match on Saturday.(AFP)

However, things have changed for him in recent times. He batted aggressively in the Champions Trophy and finished the big matches—semifinal and final—for India.

He started the new IPL season on a positive note with his new franchise Delhi Capitals. The wicketkeeper scored 77 runs off 51 balls on the tricky Chepauk surface to help Delhi win their third consecutive match this season.

After the match, Capitals mentor Kevin Pietersen had a chat with Rahul on camera as the former English captain heaped praise on the opening batter for his impressive show thus far.

“Your intent in Vizag, you struck at 300 and I was happy with you. Today, striking at 150, still on a different wicket…you must be absolutely buzzing that you’re able to adapt your style to the modern-day game," Pietersen said in a video posted by ICC.

Rahul gave a shoutout to India assistant coach Abhishek Nayar for helping him out in training, which has helped him find fun in playing white-ball cricket once again.

“I’ve worked really hard on my white ball game in the last year or so. Big shout out to Abhishek Nayar. I’ve worked a lot with him ever since he’s come into the Indian team. We’ve spent hours and hours together talking about my white ball game and how I can be better. We’ve worked hours and hours together in Bombay, and I think somewhere I’ve found the fun in playing white-ball cricket," he added.

“I wanted to take the game deep…”: KL Rahul

Rahul, who is out of India's T20 set-up, revealed that his old mindset of taking the game deep was stuck in his head, but now he has changed his approach.

“I think somewhere along the way I lost the fun of hitting boundaries and hitting sixes. I wanted to take the game deep, deep, deep, and that somehow stuck in my head. But now I’ve realised that I need to go back,” Rahul added.

Click here to read article