Follow UsIn his 58-match Test career, KL Rahul has not had many games where both Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have been absent, but that will be the new normal for Rahul and his teammates from tomorrow as the Indian Test side embarks on a new era under the leadership of Shubman Gill.
It was only a few months back that Rahul, Kohli, and Rohit were all playing together in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, but Kohli and Rohit retiring within a few days of each other now leaves Rahul as the senior-most batter in the side.
It won’t be easy going about business without two batting behemoths, but ahead of the England series, Rahul believes that it’s time for the other batters, including himself, to step up.
“Virat and Rohit have been the pillars of Indian cricket for the last decade or so, and not having them around will be a huge miss. In my whole career so far, I have never walked into a team where there is no Virat or Rohit. The 50-odd Test matches that I have played, either Virat or Rohit or both of them have been there,” Rahul told his IPL franchise, Delhi Capitals, ahead of the England series.
“To walk into that dressing room feels a bit strange. But of course, you have to respect their decision. They have given absolutely everything for the country and they will remain legends of Indian cricket. But it’s time for the rest of us to step up.”
England has historically been a nightmare country for Indian batters, but Rahul has some really fond memories in the country, having smashed two Test centuries. He spoke about his preparations for the series, where he will continue to open the batting alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal.
“I started with my preparations for the England series right after the IPL. I spoke to my coach as well to get prepared for this assignment,” Rahul said.
“It’s always a challenge coming to England as they are a pretty good side, especially when they play at home. It’s going to be a challenge for all of us as we are a comparatively young team.”
The series will also see Rahul reunite with a very good friend of his in Karun Nair, who has been recalled to the Indian Test side after eight long years. An emotional Rahul expressed his delight over Nair making it back to the Test side through sheer hard work, and hoped that the two of them end up playing for the Indian side for a ‘very long time’.
“We started playing cricket as 11-year-old boys together and we have been on this journey ever since. Both of us have had our ups and downs. He got his opportunity, scored a triple hundred, faced a bit of a tough time after that for a lot of reasons. But what has stood out is the way he has performed in the last 2-3 years,” Rahul said.
“It’s been great to see how he has gone back to basics. We have spoken about his time in the UK and him having played County cricket, and the difficulties and the challenges that he faced. To have that drive to make a comeback to the Indian team despite all the hardships is commendable. I hope both of us can play for a very long time for the Indian team.”