Of the many avatars that Ok.L. Rahul has donned in his decade-long worldwide profession, he appears at his most comfy in his current place: as opening batter and senior statesman of a younger Indian Test crew. His ease was discernible in his elegant exhibition in opposition to the West Indies in the first Test at Ahmedabad final week as the 33-year-old celebrated his eleventh Test hundred with a raised bat and a kiss of the helmet.
He has, of course, scored runs in opposition to much more hostile bowling assaults in way more demanding situations, as 9 centuries in 43 Tests away from home testify. But the ton in opposition to the West Indies is important for the very purpose that there was a way of inevitability about the approach he went about his enterprise.
That it was simply his second three-figure rating in 21 Tests and 33 innings at home encapsulates Rahul’s vexing profession. It provides the impression that his recreation in opposition to spin isn’t fairly as sturdy, however it’s value noting that his home common of 41.63 is considerably higher than his common of 33.84 exterior India.
Cold numbers have by no means accomplished justice to Rahul’s credentials. But since the tour of England in June, it seems as if the figures are lastly aligning with the considerable potential that Rahul has at all times possessed. At the finish of a gripping five-Test duel versus England, Rahul was India’s second-highest run-getter, behind Shubman Gill, with 532 runs at a median of 53.2. During the tour, he make clear how psychological drills with Formula One coaches had enhanced his response time.
Having gone by way of the grind for a few years, the time is ripe for Rahul to fill his boots in the home season and bolster his total common of 36. He appears in the temper to achieve this: earlier than his hundred in the first Test in opposition to West Indies, he additionally amassed an unbeaten 176 for India-A in opposition to Australia-A in a profitable run chase of 412.
“When you travel abroad and play in seaming, swinging conditions, there’s a lot of challenge doing that,” Rahul informed the official broadcaster in Ahmedabad. “And when we come back home, you really need to dig in and need to get your runs with singles. I needed to make that mental switch to enjoy doing that, enjoy grinding and getting hundreds with singles and twos as well. That’s the only difference that I can see. And probably that’s why I wasn’t doing that well previously when I played at home.”
