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Rahul loves add-on wicket-keeping responsibility


Bangladeshpost
Published : 25 Jan 2020 09:12 PM | Updated : 21 Aug 2020 05:35 PM

KL Rahul continued his rich vein of form with the bat by compiling a stroke-filled 27-ball 56 as India usurped New Zealand by six wickets to win the first of the three T20Is in Auckland, ESPN reports.

Rahul put on a fine exhibition of batting, crunching a string of eye-catching lofted shots. The highlight of his innings was the sumptuous short-arm jab that he essayed off Tim Southee over midwicket. The opener observed that he looks to play cricketing shots alongside having a solid technique. "That's exactly what I've learnt in the last one-and-a-half years that this is my game, where I play cricketing shots," Rahul said to the reporters after the win, on Friday (January 24).

"I've been blessed with shots all over the ground but getting into good positions and striking the ball with a good technique is my strength. If I can carry forward that belief and mind-set into each innings it'll help me more and I can be more successful and in return I can be more consistent for the team's sake," he added.

Rahul, who also donned the wicketkeeping gloves against Australia in the three-match ODI series, once again showed his worth as a utility cricketer by giving a good account of himself behind the stumps. Rahul noted that he is enjoying his dual role in the side.

"I'm quite honestly loving it, man. At the international stage, it might seem very new and it might seem like I've never kept. I've kept for my IPL franchise for the last 3-4 years, and I've kept for my first-class team as and when there is an opening. I've still stayed in touch with wicket-keeping. I enjoy staying behind the stumps and it also gives me a great idea about how the pitch is playing, and I can pass on that message to the bowlers and the captains with field-sets and everything.

"As a keeper, that's also your responsibility to stay active and pass the message on to your captain as to what lengths are better and what I feel we can do better.