BENGALURU: From being labelled a stat-padder who lacked intent from the outset to becoming a match-winner in tricky chases, KL Rahul has turned the tide in a manner only a batter of his calibre can.
He etched the latest chapter of his evolution with an unbeaten 93 off 53 balls at a strike-rate of 175 on a gripping Chinnaswamy pitch, steering Delhi Capitals to a six-wicket victory over Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
Tim David (185) and Phil Salt (210) may have scored at quicker strike-rates, but their approach relied on brute force and riskier scoring avenues, either during the Powerplay or death overs.
Rahul’s innings, in contrast, was a masterclass in pacing, from a cautious 29 off 29 balls, the Karnataka-born right-hander surged to score 64 off the next 24 deliveries on Thursday.
It’s tempting to attribute the knock solely to his familiarity with local conditions, but that’s merely a part of the story.
The Capitals are slowly shaping their batting core around Rahul, owing to his remarkable technical adaptability. On Thursday night, Rahul justified that trust, nullifying a competent bowling unit.
Even during the initial sedate phase, there was no visible struggle, it was evident that Rahul had gauged the nature of the surface to perfection and was biding his time before launching the assault.
That moment arrived in the 15th over, bowled by Josh Hazlewood. Rahul took the Australian pacer for 22 runs, including three fours and a six. The momentum firmly shifted in Delhi’s favour. Yet, none of those shots were wild slogs.
Even the six that sailed over Hazlewood’s head was the product of a beautifully timed open-faced bat, a textbook shot that reduced the risk of edges or mis-hits on a slow surface.
In contrast, his top-order teammates Jake Fraser-McGurk, Faf du Plessis and Abhishek Porel succumbed to cross-batted shots — an approach that didn’t suit the sluggish pitch, resulting in mistimed dismissals.
RCB’s mentor Dinesh Karthik lauded Rahul’s knock, particularly given the 32-year-old’s flexibility across the batting order for various teams.
"It's very challenging to bat at different positions in T20. But he's done that really nicely in the recent past. I've believed he's a high-quality middle-order batter. He's tweaked a bit," said Karthik.
The former wicketkeeper-batter also pointed to the newfound freedom with which Rahul has been playing.
"From whatever I'm hearing, he's worked with Abhishek Nayar before the IPL started. You can see he's getting into some good positions and playing some nice shots. He always had the skill. You can see when he has given himself more freedom and the way he's played, it's been nice to watch. May not be from my perspective, though," he added.
Rahul, too, credited his evolving preparation methods.
"I always try to adapt to different wickets (even in practice). It gives me a fair idea of the areas I can target — where I can take singles, where I can hit sixes. I don't keep batting for hours and keep slogging. I do that sometimes, but that is when I am not getting into a flow and rhythm. It is more about how I can master playing (on a particular pitch), and that becomes second-nature," said Rahul.
His game awareness was on display against Suyash Sharma, who has had an impressive season. Aware that Tristan Stubbs might struggle to pick Suyash's leg-spin, Rahul took the responsibility of containing him. He faced 13 deliveries from the spinner and made just four runs — not out of defensive intent, but as a tactical move to nullify the most threatening bowler.
The opportunity to accelerate eventually arrived, and Rahul seized it.
But the most evocative moment came after he launched Yash Dayal for a six to seal the match. Rahul drew a circle on the ground and stamped his bat in its centre.
"This is my home ground, and I know it better than anyone else," he said later.
That gesture, however, may have meant more, a symbolic moment marking his claim on the white-ball game. KL Rahul, finally, has found another home.
