CHENNAI: KL Rahul was a different player in the T20s against the West Indies which India won. He forged a good partnership with India skipper Virat Kohli and put up useful stands. Many reckon he should double up as a wicketkeeping option in the shorter formats of the game for India.
Vikram Rathour, India’s batting coach, believes Rahul was always talented and a slight change in mindset was the reason for his good show in the T20s.
“Rahul has been a very good player. He went through a lean patch which every cricketer goes through.
He worked really hard. A couple of technical changes and change in mindset and the result shows,’’ said Rathour, insisting that the Karnataka batsman will come out with flying colours in the ODIs too. Rahul in the T20s appeared to have modified his batting stance and the back-lift.
“I do not think I have worked too much, like it has not been a conscious effort. But I have seen my batting. Every batsman goes through changes. I felt that my bat-lift was not coming exactly from where I wanted it. Having time off playing cricket, I worked on it, and it is coming out well. When you score runs everything seems good,’’ Rahul had said after the Mumbai T20 win.
Some time ago, Sunil Gavaskar had told this newspaper that he valued temperament more than technique. His logic was that a batsman could have the best technique in the world but without temperament, he cannot be successful.
“I agree technique is not the only thing in cricket. There are other things like mindset and game plans, so as a batting coach we are looking to cover all these areas,’’ said Rathour. Rahul has been in and out of the team across formats. “I will not say I will not feel it (pressure) at all.
Obviously, going in and out of the team is never easy on any player. You take a little bit of time to get used to the international pressure, and there is no opposition (against whom) you can just walk in and score runs,” Rahul had said.
Former India spinner M Venkataramana insists Rahul is mentally very strong and knows how to make a comeback.
“He (Rahul) is mentally strong and knows the best way is to score runs. This approach leads to positivity and thus he as in good flow in the T20s and is sure to do well in the ODIs,’’ said Venkataramana.
Former India star Hemang Badani said that Rahul was an option behind the stumps.
“Rahul should do well with the bat. He can also be a good backup wicketkeeper in ODIs and a wicketkeeping option in T20s,’’ said Hemang Badani.