KL Rahul rediscovers himself just in time for WC

CARDIFF: He thinks for a while, and then answers your question. Perhaps, it’s the result of being on a ‘journey to hell and back’ which has made him a bit guarded while talking. After all, he got into trouble because of talking too much. He made a few disparaging remarks about women during a talk show along with Hardik Pandya last year, which saw him suspended from the ODI leg of the tour of Australia.
It was around the same time that Rahul lost his place as a Test opener after a series of failures. But the year that began on a controversial note for him, just keeps getting better for him.

ICC World Cup 2019: Full Schedule^[1]

After enjoying another prolific IPL, in which he smashed six fifties and a hundred, Rahul, on Tuesday, auditioned successfully for the crucial 4 position for India in the World Cup, cracking 108 off 99 balls against Bangladesh at the Sophia Gardens Stadium.

“Hopefully, he won’t bat that way against us in Birmingham (when India play against Bangladesh in the league stage of the World Cup on July 2),” quipped former India left-arm spinner Sunil Joshi, who’s now the Bangladesh spin bowling coach, in jest after the game.
Clearly, the man, like Pandya, has managed to show the right resolve in tough times. “What’s gone is gone. The focus is always on cricket. I’m really happy with how I’ve managed to bounce back. The IPL gave me a lot of confidence. I’m really happy that I could carry that confidence over here,” says the 27-year-old.
That phase after the Koffee with Karan controversy, Rahul, reveals, gave him the time to spend a few extra days with those around him. “Time-out from the game gives a player an opportunity and time to reflect on himself and his game. It wasn’t any different for me. I got some time to spend with friends and family which was important because I’ve been on the road for a long time,” he says.

Of course, the trigger wasn’t ideal. “Given the situation, that’s not how I wanted to get some time off. Anyway, I tried to make the best use of it. I felt the need to fix a few things with my batting and technique. I worked with my coach back home in Bangalore and the India A games gave me a little time with (batting legend and India A coach) Rahul Dravid to just speak to him about mental preparation, how to handle pressure, low confidence and form,” he recalls.
Time away from the game made him even more determined to prove himself. “The best way to get back to scoring runs is to find that form in the middle, and I got that opportunity. I just carried on and I knew that my batting was fine. I was very hungry to come back and score runs,” he explained.

References

1. ^{^} ICC World Cup 2019: Full Schedule (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)

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