Backing KL Rahul as India's Test opener against Australia

Adelaide: KL Rahul seemed well-prepared for the questions thrown at him. He held all the answers to the speculation surrounding Rohit Sharma's batting position in the upcoming second Test of the Border Gavaskar Trophy in Adelaide. However, instead of divulging any information, he chose to maintain a quiet demeanor. With his debut in Australia dating back a decade, Rahul understands the importance of knowing when to stay silent amidst the intense discussions.

In Rohit’s absence, the 32-year-old from Bengaluru settled into the opener’s slot as if he was made for the job. He was among India’s best batters at Perth but whether it was good enough to convince the skipper to move down the order remains to be seen. While it is a mystery for the media and the fans currently, the team management has already made up its mind.

“I’ve been told (my position),” said Rahul on Wednesday. “But I’ve also been told not to share it. We’ll have to wait for day one or maybe when the captain (Rohit) comes here tomorrow.”

At the same time, Rahul issued a disclaimer as well: “I’ve said this before. I just want to be in the playing XI. Pick me in wherever. I just want to go there, bat and play for the team.”

It’s when Rahul speaks like this that one realises how long he has been around for. His technique has come in for praise but just as impressive was his composure and that was on display in the press conference too.

“I just go there and see what I need to do in that given scenario,” said Rahul. “Whenever I walk in, what is it that the team requires, what is it that I need to do to get runs from there on. I try and keep my game as simple as I can.”

Seasoned player

He made his debut in Australia in 2014 and while Rahul has had to deal with poor form, injuries and doubts, these experiences have taught him a lot as well.

“Luckily for me, I batted in different positions. Early on, when I was asked to bat in different places, it was a bit of a challenge mentally. Not so much technique, but at least mentally, how to play those first 20-25 balls, what shots I can play, how early can I attack, how much do I need to be cautious.

“Those were the things that were a bit tricky early on. But now that I’ve played in ODIs, in Test cricket all over the place, it’s given me a little bit of an idea as to how I need to manage my innings and how I need to start. I feel like it’s just the start that’s important, whether I’m batting top of the order or in the middle order. It’s just the start, the first 30-40 balls. If I can manage that, then everything else starts to seem like it’s regular batting. That’s what I try to focus on.”

Given his focus, clarity and the fact that he isn’t a stop-gap opener, if one were to take a punt, Rahul should continue to open. In the past we have seen Hanuma Vihari, Cheteshwar Pujara and even Rahul Dravid being thrust into the opening position at a moment’s notice. But this is different. In the nets, Rohit was mostly batting with Rishabh Pant and perhaps that is a sign too.

“I got told quite early,” said Rahul when asked about how he was told about his opening duties. “I missed out in the New Zealand series. I didn’t play the last two games. I was told to be ready, there might be a chance for me to open the batting. I got enough time to prepare and opening is something that I’ve done for a long time in my career. I just had to go back and practice it a little bit more. I came here early. I played an India A game which helped me to get some time in the middle. We played a few practice games as well, so I got a lot of time in the middle. It helped me in my preparation.”

Well prepared

So, in a sense, at least in Australian conditions, he is more ready for the job than Rohit is. And it won’t really hurt the Indian team because Rohit can be even more dangerous down, against an older ball and tiring bowlers. With at least three quality batters (Pant, Washington Sundar and Nitish Reddy) to come after him, the skipper is unlikely to be left hanging.

There is also the equation that Rahul now seems to share with the young Yashasvi Jaiswal. The 201-run partnership they shared in second innings at Perth finished off the Aussies. They had never batted together before but it just seemed to fit.

“In the second innings, obviously, it was a really important period that second day where we had to put runs on board, and we knew if we can do that we’ll be ahead in the game. And for that, I’ve realised how important the opening partnership is when you travel overseas. So was just trying to calm him down. Like I said, I saw a little bit of myself when I was here 10 years ago, opening the batting for the first time.

“(I had) a lot of doubts, a lot of nerves. You keep doubting your own game and there’s a lot that happens in your head. So, the only thing that you can do is slow things down, try and take a few deep breaths and focus on one thing. And that’s what was passed on to me by my opening partner back then, Murali Vijay. So, I just passed that on to him.”

Rohit has been one to lead the team by example and if he feels it is the right decision for the team, he won’t hesitate to push himself down the order. That is the kind of player he has been and that is the captain he is too.

The pink ball is going to be a challenge for all batters but Rahul and the team want to take things as they come.

“One thing that’s been spoken a lot in the dressing room is to win sessions and not really worry about winning the whole game or talking about what happens on day 4 or day 5. It’s just about winning these sessions. We’re trying to do that again and see where we go.”