KL Rahul, the senior hitter for the team, has said that Rohit Sharma, the captain, wants him to become the team’s mainstay at No. 5. This will allow him to develop his batting in the middle overs and also assist the wicketkeeper-batter in becoming a stronger player of spin bowling.
After India had reached 86 for four in the pursuit of Sri Lanka‘s 215, Rahul struck 64 runs without being dismissed off 103 balls to progressively consolidate India’s position in the second one-day international that was played at Eden Gardens.
“I’ve gained a better understanding of my game thanks to the fact that I bat fifth. I prefer balls coming onto the bat, but Rohit (Sharma) has made it pretty clear that he wants me to bat at No. 5, so that is what I am trying to do. At No. 5, you have to face spin right away “remarked Rahul after India took a commanding 2-0 lead in the best-of-three series by virtue of their victory in the match by a score of four wickets.
In addition, Rahul enjoys batting at number five because it allows him some time to unwind after he has been keeping wickets, and he is not in a rush to get back into his batting gear after he has done so.
“When you’re hitting fifth, you don’t have to worry about getting out of your stance too quickly. You have the option of taking a shower, relaxing with your feet up, and watching the game. However, I never stop considering what my team requires of me.
It is beneficial to both you and the team if you are able to assess the scenario before entering it.” Rahul continued by saying that India’s initial plan was to attempt to reach a target of somewhere between 280 and 300 runs given that the pitch was favourable for batting.
He congratulated the bowlers on the home team for limiting Sri Lanka to 215 runs in 39.4 overs and getting them all out.
“I won’t say that it was a flat wicket, nor will I say that it was doing so much that batting on it was difficult. When Sri Lanka began their innings, I estimated that the wicket would yield between 280 and 300 runs. However, thanks to the outstanding bowling of our team, they were only able to score 220 or so “explained Rahul.
“However, they fought back valiantly and made several quick advances that put us under a lot of strain. On the other hand, I enjoyed a fruitful collaboration with Shreyas (Iyer) and Hardik (Pandya).
We never stop looking for a method to come out on top, and it felt great to finally achieve our goal in the end.” He stated that there was no rush to end the play despite the fact that India had lost four wickets early on in the game because the target was always well within reach.
“The openers put the opposition under a lot of pressure in the first one-day international that was played in Guwahati. Then you should go into the game with the mindset of attacking, regardless of who is bowling.
Because we suffered early losses in wickets, it was essential for us to take our time and relax today. If we are in pursuit of 280–300, then we will engage him in combat. But there was no need for that today, “he added.