KL Rahul talks about his return to fitness, the ongoing Australia battle, his goals for the World Cup, and how he intends to handle requests for World Cup tickets.
As stated to Jio Cinema: Everyone has been concerned about your injury and health; could you put their minds at ease right now and inform them of your situation?
I participated in every game of the Super Fours and everyone saw me play in the Asia Cup. I believe the fear regarding my fitness has been allayed because I kept behind the wickets, batted, and scored runs as well. With the World Cup and the Australia series coming up, I’m hoping to continue in the same manner.
What modifications did you make to your preparation schedule to make sure you could bat and keep?
I was aware that I would have to bat and keep wickets if I rejoined the team. Compared to when I am just batting, the physical obstacles are much greater. Knowing this, I put a lot of effort into getting fit. Cricket players are aware of the difficulties we will encounter on the field, and during practice and training sessions, we aim to simulate those difficulties.
In the first two ODIs, you will bat, keep wicket, and serve as captain. Do you enjoy applying pressure to yourself before a major series?
In the past two years, the team management has placed a lot of trust in me. They continue to give me greater tasks, which demonstrates their confidence in my skills. I feel quite confident and like taking on the burden. It increases the enjoyment of both life and playing cricket.
What distinction do you think batting as the opener or at No. 4 or 5 makes?
I’ve played opening batsman my entire life. You are making the game yourself at the top of the chain. You are aware that you must get a specific score even though you are chasing. You enter the room empty-handed. There isn’t any pressure from required run rates or falling wickets. The scenario is in front of you when you bat in the middle order, so you must react appropriately. The only significant distinction is that. I’ve been fortunate to have access to enough middle-order games to comprehend and adapt. There are not many differences between batting at positions 4 and 5, but there is a significant difference between opening and batting in the middle order.
How do you respond to requests for match tickets?
I won’t reply to any mails asking for match tickets. I’m not trying to be nasty or haughty; I just want to avoid those things and concentrate on the game. Please don’t message me asking for tickets, I’m sending this message to everyone of my family and friends.
Where were you at the 2011 World Cup final when MS Dhoni smashed the six?
With a few pals, I was watching the games in Bangalore. We all believed the game was over when we lost two quick wickets, as I recall. When we eventually won, everyone was jumping and rejoicing, so we drove to Bangalore’s busiest neighborhood. As Indians, it was a moment to be proud of, and perhaps we can recreate it for the citizens of our nation.
Are there any better tests to take before the World Cup than Australia?
They are one of the favorites entering the World Cup, in my opinion. They have some excellent athletes, some of whom we have played in the IPL with. They frequently visit India and are as familiar with our playing fields and weather as we are. The focus of this entire series will be on how each squad showcases its strengths. In light of this, I am indeed quite excited about the series and believe that this is the ideal opportunity to test ourselves before the World Cup.
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