IND VS AUS

Toughest session I have faced in Test cricket: KL Rahul

India Australia Cricket India's Lokesh Rahul plays a shot during the second day of their fourth test cricket match against India in Dharamsala | AP

Rahul squandered it with a misjudged shot off a Cummins bouncer to perish at 60

  • In Dharamsala too, he sparred with the Aussie duo of Hazlewood and Cummins—who made scoring difficult with their bounce, carry and movement. Even as Rahul lost his opening partner Murali Vijay early in the game, he, along with Pujara, warded off the incessant probing and prodding by the pace bowlers to build a partnership of 87 runs for the second wicket, threatening to take the game away from Australia

After Cheteshwar Pujara, opener K.L.Rahul is the second highest scorer for team India in the ongoing India-Australia series, with 342 runs in his kitty. He has scored five half-centuries so far, successfully negotiating the Australian pace attack of Mitchell Starc (Pune and Bengaluru Tests), Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins. In Dharamsala too, he sparred with the Aussie duo of Hazlewood and Cummins—who made scoring difficult with their bounce, carry and movement. Even as Rahul lost his opening partner Murali Vijay early in the game, he, along with Pujara, warded off the incessant probing and prodding by the pace bowlers to build a partnership of 87 runs for the second wicket, threatening to take the game away from Australia.

However, Rahul squandered it with a misjudged shot off a Cummins bouncer to perish at 60. A shot he would once again rue. After the day's play, Rahul admitted that it was one of the toughest sessions of cricket he had played so far in his short Test career, but expressed optimism that there was one more innings left for him to get that elusive ton.

Excerpts from the interaction:

Top order batsmen getting in and out without any big runs in this Test so far:

Yes, it is by far the best wicket we have played on. There is something in it for the spinners, something in it for the fast bowlers as well. The ball kept swinging the whole day. If you spend some time in the middle, it’s really good to bat. Yes, all of us got good starts but we couldn’t convert. But we are happy at the end of the day with 250-odd runs (for the loss of six wickets). It wasn’t the really worst day for us.

Are you disappointed that you are not being able to convert 50s into 100s?

Quite honestly, I am don't anything. Obviously, I am a little disappointed that I haven’t been able to convert those starts and make big runs for my team. As an opening batsman, I think it is my responsibility to spend as much time in the middle as I can and try and get big scores in the first innings so that we don’t have to bat in the second innings.

On a personal front, it hasn’t been the worst series for me. I have got starts, batted really well. I have enjoyed batting in the middle. The Aussie bowlers haven’t made it easy. They have challenged us in all the games. Hopefully, one more good knock in the second innings might turn things around.

The misjudged pull shot

Horrible execution for sure. I had batted in the middle for a long time. I thought I could take him on with no fielders in the back. The intent was right. I can always sit here now and question the intent, question a hundred things. But in the middle, I thought I could take him on. Unfortunately, it didn’t go my way. Maybe in the second innings, I can get him away. So I will go out with a positive intent again in the second innings.

Australian bowlers were quickest you have faced. Surprised by them?

There is something in it for everyone. You saw Lyon and O’Keefe spinning the ball. The first session (with Josh and Cummins) has been the toughest I have faced in Test cricket so far. They put the ball in the right area, they swung the ball, bowled with a lot of pace and venom. I enjoyed batting out there in the middle. There is something in it for the bowlers. It will keep us interested in the second innings as well when we go out there to bowl.

A different batting approach today?

I haven’t done things differently from the first game. I have kept it simple. Like I said, the first session was really tough, challenging for sure. I had to leave the balls outside off stump, leave the bouncers. So far in the series, we haven’t been challenged with swing or bounce. It was good facing Josh and Cummins in the first session when they were bowling with a lot of heart.

On Cummins’s bowling and the spell he faced

He was fast, accurate. This wicket is obviously helping them as well. Conditions were nice and cool. So I guess they could bowl longer spells without getting tired. You can say that he has been the guy who, as a fast bowler, has challenged us in this series.

Cracks on the wicket and how they will help in the remaining days of the Test match

When we bowled the first day, a few deliveries reacted unexpectedly from the cracks. The conditions are really good for the fast bowlers, like I mentioned. The conditions aren’t too hot. There is some swing out there. Fast bowlers, I am sure, are enjoying bowling on this wicket.

On Missing Virat Kohli captain and player

We are missing Virat Kohli. He is somebody who we have played under and is a huge influence on everybody in the team. He always sets great examples for us. He leads from the front, his aggression and energy is obviously something that would have been really good for us. But we need to learn to put our hands up and take pressure and responsibility sometimes. This game is a good opportunity for the rest of the guys to stand up and be counted.

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