In the longer version of the game, India batsman KL Rahul talked about the importance of patience and waiting for his moment. Rahul hit a century for India in a three-day warm-up game versus County Select XI last week. The batting order collapsed, but Rahul, together with Ravindra Jadeja, excelled during the first innings. KL Rahul ready for red-ball return in England series

‘Time off from Tests has helped’: KL Rahul ready for red-ball return in England series

“It’s always good to get runs in the white kit. It’s been a while since I’d played a red-ball game, so it was very nice to be out there, and score runs. It’s important to stay patient and wait for my turn. I’ve been working on my game. It’s good to get some time in the middle and score some runs,” Rahul told bcci.tv.

Hopefully, This Is A Good Opportunity Again: KL Rahul

“I’ve always been confident. I’ve never really worried about confidence. It’s my self-belief that has gotten me so far, but it’s about maintaining a calm head, learning from your mistakes. I’m just enjoying my game. I’ve made mistakes, I’ve learned from them. I get stronger. Like I said this is a good opportunity again, hopefully, fingers crossed I can do the job for the team,” he added.

Since Rishabh Pant and Wriddhiman Saha were uncertain due to COVID regulations, Rahul also wore wicketkeeping gloves during the warm-up match.

“It’s a good opportunity to test my body and wicketkeeping skills. The added responsibility made me really sore (laughs) but apart from that, it was a good time out and it gives me a good opportunity to stay in the game. Especially when it is a practice game, sometimes it can feel longer. But when you’re wicketkeeping, you need to stay focused and you’re in the game all the time. So, I quite enjoyed it,” said Rahul.

Failure Makes You Strong And More Focused And Determined About The Game: KL Rahul

Rahul’s last Test match was against the West Indies in 2019. Rahul scored 149 runs at The Oval all through India’s 2018 tour of England, which came after a string of dismal performances in the previous Tests.

“When I got dropped in 2018, I had to go back and discuss with coaches, watched a lot of videos to see where I was faltering, and try to correct that. I’m happy, time off from Test cricket has helped. As they say, failure makes you strong, makes you more focused and determined about the game. It’s no different for me. I’m looking forward to the opportunities, trying to stay a lot calmer and more disciplined,” said Rahul.

“I remember The Oval being the best batting pitch we got in the whole series. At the back of my mind, I also knew it was the last game of the series and I hadn’t done well in the series. So, it was only realistic that I would have probably not gotten a chance in the next series,” he concluded.

Also Read: AUS Vs WI: Second ODI Set To Resume After Suspension