Champions Trophy: K.L. Rahul says he is ready for a new challenge

K.L. Rahul adapts to new batting role in India's middle-order, focusing on hitting boundaries and maintaining high strike rate.

K.L. Rahul has been one of the pillars of India’s middle-order batting in ODIs in the last few years and has owned the No. 5 spot. However, in recent times, as the Men in Blue have looked to mix things up by having a left-right combo, Rahul has often had to come down a position or two to accommodate Axar Patel at five.

In the opening encounter against Bangladesh, Rahul scored a vital unbeaten 41 (47b) when the team was in slight trouble at 144 for four chasing 229.

The 32-year-old, who also dons the big gloves, said he was ready for the new challenge.

“It’s never easy for anyone in the team to move different places. But that’s how the game goes. Whatever the team thinks is the best possible combination and what they feel is the best entry point for the player, you leave it to them and just try to do your job,” said Rahul ahead of India’s final group game in the Champions Trophy against New Zealand on Sunday.

Giving an insight into how he has to adapt to the new role, Rahul revealed he looks to train with old balls and dry pitches to simulate the conditions in which he might get to bat.

“I might be walking in with eight or maybe 10 to 12 overs to go; not more than if we (have) batted well. So, I realised when I go in, I need to have that skill-set to go in and be able to hit sixes probably from ball one or play at a high strike rate.”

“As soon as I go in (nets), I challenge myself to see if I can hit a six of the first couple of deliveries or boundaries. How many boundaries can I hit in the first 10 balls? That’s more realistic to what I might get here. And that’s the only way you give yourself the best chance to succeed and do what the team expects of you,” he added.