Bat, gloves & glory

Kannur Lokesh Rahul could very well have been Kannur Lokesh Rohan had his father been a bit more careful while naming him. When a son was born to Lokesh, lecturer at the National Institute of Technology in Surathkal, and his academician-wife Rajeshwari, in 1992, the Sunil Gavaskar fan thought he was borrowing the name of his idol’s son. Gavaskar’s only son, Rohan, was named after the West Indian great Rohan Kanhai and Lokesh apparently missed the connection and thereby the name. So the boy was named Rahul.

It didn’t matter, because around the same time another Rahul was making waves in Karnataka cricket. Rahul Dravid was just four years away from an India cap, and he went on to become an inspiration for a lot of young boys, including K.L. Rahul.

A cricket bat has been K.L. Rahul’s constant companion since childhood. “A pretty normal story,” is how Rahul tries to describe it. Other cricketers of his generation will also have a similar story to tell. “I grew up watching and playing the sport. I was quite athletic in school and played all the sports possible. Cricket was something that I was better at compared to the rest.” The 28-year-old batsman is one of the most promising of his generation, and someone whom the great Brian Lara considers “the prettiest batsman to watch in world cricket”. Former Indian opening batsman Wasim Jaffer recently said that Rahul is the most accomplished in the Indian team after captain Virat Kohli and star player Rohit Sharma. The cricketing world is in awe of his stroke play, and he was recently named captain of the IPL team Kings XI Punjab. Rahul, who “fell in love with the sport and wanted to keep playing it”, is also an accomplished wicket-keeper, which adds to his value in the team.

Rahul believes that playing a lot of sports in school not only helped him enhance his hand-eye coordination but also stay fit. “I don’t have a history of being fat. As a matter of fact, I was a very skinny child, probably because of all the playing. But when I took up cricket seriously, I had to work hard to get muscles and get a little buff,” he says.

Although he calls his journey a ‘normal story’, it had its share of challenges. Raised in the suburbs of Mangaluru, the biggest challenge he faced was the lack of facilities for training. He used to travel nearly 20km from where he stayed in Surathkal for training. “It is a small town that does not have a big history or rather no history of producing many cricketers. There was only one cricket camp and we struggled a lot. But I think it made us hungrier and also made us value the opportunities that we got,” he says.

Rahul’s parents recognised his passion for cricket and encouraged him by enlisting him in cricket camps since the time he turned 10. “Coming from a family of professors, my parents made it clear that they would support me only if I had my grades in school. It was a fair deal. They also homeschooled me a lot since I used to miss classes because of the matches,” he says. Rahul says it is important to take education seriously as it equips one to deal with life better. “It was never about getting high grades or topping the class. For me, it was learning the basics,” says Rahul, whose favourite subject in school was Indian history.

By the time he finished school he had already played several matches for Bengaluru United Cricket Club and his club in Mangaluru, besides playing the Ranji Trophy. “I wanted to take up the sport more seriously and my parents let me make that decision when I turned 18.”

Rahul’s rise in the cricketing world was not steady in a strict sense. “There were a lot of setbacks, but they only made me feel determined and zealous. Every time I was not selected for a match, I felt an unexplainable hunger and anger to prove that I am capable and that I will achieve my dreams no matter what. That is how I always bounced back,” says Rahul. “I don’t know whether to call what I am doing right now destiny or fate, but I am here now and I will keep growing.”

Rahul apportions the credit for recognising talent and taking care of sportsmen to the Karnataka State Cricket Association and the BCCI. “I genuinely feel lucky that I got trained by the coaches at the KSCA and the BCCI. They sent me for a lot of camps and I got early guidance. I have already played in almost all my dream stadiums like Lord’s and the MCG, but I would like to go back to some of these stadiums to make better memories,” says the naturally aggressive batsman.

It was in the 2010-11 season that Rahul made his first-class debut for Karnataka. During this time, he also represented the country at the 2010 ICC Under-19 World Cup, where he scored a total of 143 runs. Though he was left out of the squad for the succeeding season, he got back for the 2012-13 season. It was during this time that he made his IPL debut with Royal Challengers Bangalore.

His terrific run in the domestic circuit fetched him the coveted India Test cap and a maiden international call-up in 2014. Rahul made his Test debut in the Boxing Day Test Down Under, which was also M.S. Dhoni’s final Test. Call it nervousness or sheer pressure, Rahul could muster only four runs in two innings. But, he picked himself up quite well in the Sydney Test, with a hundred to show. His amazing range of strokes was also on display.

Rahul says self-belief is one of his strongest traits and that it is important in every player’s life, no matter what the game is. “I don’t think anybody in sports can go on to achieve success or play at the highest level without believing in oneself,” he says. Another quality that he calls his strength is honesty to self. “I can always look in the mirror and be completely honest with myself. I am my biggest critic and I am my biggest supporter,” says the all-or-nothing player who likes to expand his initials K.L. to ‘king lion’. Spirit animal, maybe. He surely displays a lot of its totem traits like courage, balance and strength to overcome difficulties. “Most people tend to beat themselves up when they come across failure but I have always been very balanced about success and failure. I think this is one of the aspects that keeps me going in life,” says Rahul. Definitely kingly. Interestingly, ‘king lion’ has a furry ‘lion king’ called Simba. The “cute, feisty, Indian chow chow puppy”—as described on the dog’s Instagram handle “@kingsimbathechow”—has an impressive fan following (over 17,000 followers). Rahul is so fond of his dog that he has a portrait of Simba tattooed on his back. Quoting Johnny Depp in an Instagram post back in 2015, Rahul wrote “My body is my journal and my tattoos are my story.” There is a tattoo for every place that he has visited. There are some that celebrate memorable moments, like his Test cap number engraved in Roman numerals on his ribs. And then there are some others that remind him of low points in his life.

“The 2016-2017 period was a tough time,” Rahul recalls. “I had a shoulder injury in 2016 when I was playing for the Indian team. I had dislocated my shoulder and had to go for surgery. Those two years were full of injuries and ailments. I had dengue, malaria and it just kept on pushing me back. I would go do really well for a match and then fall sick. Every time I recovered and got back to the game, I felt like I had to start all over again. There was never a continuity. I felt like I lost some important years of my life sitting at home, injured, watching TV, not being able to play. But that is the journey,” he says.

But this wasn’t the only time Rahul had an injury. He had a back injury even before he started playing for his state. “As a teenager, it was frightening to hear doctors say things like surgery and that I won’t be able to play the sport. It was one of the scariest times in my life,” he says. The injury may have bogged him down a little but he got back into line soon enough. “I grew up being a wicket-keeping batsman till the time I had my back injury. When I got back for training in the state team, post recovery, there were already a couple of players who had cemented their position in the team and I felt like I did not stand a chance at that point. That is when I started focusing more on my batting skills,” says Rahul.

“I have always played as an opening batsman since the time I started playing cricket, so that is something that is comfortable for me. But when you play a team sport, you need to be flexible to do what your team wants you to do. I enjoy whatever task is assigned to me,” he says.

Although playing in a single position could have helped him more, Rahul says there is a beauty in playing in different positions. “It is both exciting and challenging; I thrive on challenges. Each time you finish a game, you walk out after playing a different role and conquering a unique challenge. This is what makes the sport thrilling. And this has also enabled me to gauge myself,” he says.

When it comes to the Rahul repertoire, simple plans aid consistency. “What I realised in these years of playing is that the simpler you keep your plans and game, the more consistent and successful you become. Something that has really worked for me is just being mindful and assessing the situation. I always try to stick to my strengths and be consistent in it,” he says.

Though the current ‘forced off-season’ has kept players away from their favourite place, all of them have tried to stay fit at home. However, it may take a while for them to get back to where they were before Covid-19. Rahul feels that though the game may not change drastically, off-field interactions before and after the match might change. “Human beings adapt very quickly and I am pretty sure we will learn how to be in an empty stadium. As a matter of fact, the crowds only come in once you start playing for the country. We all grew up playing in empty stadiums, without anyone cheering for us. So, it is not something that we are not used to. Having said that, there is a different energy that the crowd brings in. With the crowd, the game sure does become a lot more exciting and the adrenaline just pumps up. But I think we should focus on what is there; there is a lot of pressure on the field,” he says.

According to Rahul, everyone in the team has their own unique calming techniques before a match. “We are taught different breathing exercises while training. Apart from that we also do our own thing. I like to listen to music. There is no lucky playlist or song that helps me do better. As a matter of fact, the playlist changes every time. It is all over the shop—from hip-hop to blues to old Hindi songs,” he says.

Rahul started the year 2020 with a bang, and only the virus could stop him. He performed well in the two T20Is against Sri Lanka and in three ODIs against Australia. He also scored in the first two T20Is versus New Zealand. He was phenomenal with the bat in the shorter form of the game against Australia and New Zealand and his wicket-keeping was praised by fans and peers alike.

Although his numbers in the shorter versions of the game are better than the longer one, Rahul does not have a favourite format. “I love cricket. All of it. Not a particular format,” he says. Ready to lead Kings XI Punjab, the ‘king captain’ is eagerly waiting for the schedule. “I am sure that the IPL will happen this year. I can’t wait for the news to come,” he says.

Apart from cricket, Rahul is big on investing in real estate, interior designing and his street-wear athleisure brand Gully, which was launched last year. “I think every person who earns money should invest their money in places where it can grow. That is the wise thing to do. I am lucky to have a tight group of friends who are all excellent at financial planning and inform me about the trends in the business market,” he says.

When it comes to fashion, Rahul looks up to David Beckham. “I think, to this day, he is one of the most stylish sports icons. I don’t know if I can call him my fashion inspiration though,” says the cricketer, who enjoys wearing stylish clothes. “Gully is young, edgy and fun. It is an extension of what I like to wear. Gone are the days when people enjoyed wearing tight-fitted clothes. Most people like comfortable yet fashionable clothing and Gully is that,” he says.

“I try to keep up with the latest trends in fashion but, personally, I try to stick to solid colours. I love wearing cool clothes but I am not fond of anything bling or with prints. There is a section in my wardrobe with cool hipster clothes and then, the other extreme—formal suits,” he says. Apart from clothes, Rahul has an eye for watches. “I love classic watches. No particular brand, though. If it looks good to me, I buy it,” he says.

As of now, Rahul is itching to get back on the field. “We know that the call will come anytime. So, we are keeping ourselves prepared. The trainers with the Indian team, National Cricket Academy coaches and BCCI trainers have sent us fitness programmes and they keep a tab on us on a weekly basis. After all, staying fit is all that we can do during this time,” he says. He has had a good start this year, but can he end it well? “Courage, dear heart,” roars Aslan in The Chronicles of Narnia.

AT A GLANCE

A hobby you once had but not anymore.

Football. I used to love playing football. I have not completely stopped playing but since it is injury prone, I try not to play it a lot.

Favourite sportsperson.

It is hard to pick one. Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Roger Federer, Zlatan Ibrahimović....

A show you binge-watched.

American crime drama television series Queen of the South.

Midnight indulgence.

I actually sleep very early so there is no time for any midnight snack.

Biggest nightmare.

That I would get lazy.

A snack that you cannot do without.

There is nothing that I am extremely addicted to but I do love chips.

Your most prized possession.

Myself.

Your idea of a getaway.

Any place with a beach.

The most difficult bowler you have come across.

Rashid Khan.

Top cricketers to follow on social media.

The whole Indian cricket team.

A typical day during the lockdown period.

Wake up, have breakfast around 10am and then play PUBG for some time. This game is something I picked up during the lockdown. Post lunch, watch a show or a movie. In the evening, train for about two hours; the workout regimen is different every day. At night spend time with my family; we play games sometimes.

Post lockdown, what is the first thing you would do?

I am dying to get back on the field.

Your advice to aspiring cricketers.

I find advising very hard. All I can say is that they should enjoy playing the sport. Fall in love with it.

Cover Credits

Photograph by: Tara Louis McManus

Stylist: Devesh Pant

Hair and make up: Blown