Border-Gavaskar Trophy: Senior pro Rahul ready for his first pink-ball Test

When it comes to K.L. Rahul, one cannot help but live with the perception that he is perpetually on trial. After a solid show in both innings as an opener in the Perth Test, especially playing the rock with an innings of 77 during the epic 201-run partnership with Yashasvi Jaiswal, the debate about the senior batter’s position in the Adelaide Test beginning on Friday has started again.

‘’All I want is to be a part of the playing XI and bat wherever the team wants me to,’’ he said. It would have been a given not to disturb the opening pair as it holds the key in a series like this, but the arrival of captain Rohit Sharma is what has created the conundrum. The warm-up game against the Prime Minister’s XI saw Rohit batting at number four but TV pundits from India are polarised in their opinions about what would be the right position for the somewhat off-colour captain.

KL, for whom it will be his first-ever pink ball Test, has begun visualising scenarios as a top-order batter. ‘’This is my first pink-ball Test but I have been speaking to guys who have played it before. Picking up the ball from the bowlers’ hand is the most important thing,’’ the 32-year-old Bangalorean said during a media interaction. ‘’The new ball seams more and a bit longer, hence it’s important to play out the first 20-25 overs. It’s about playing the ball late and leaving it a lot.’’

Asked how he prepares for the challenge of batting in different positions, KL said he has developed his own process over the years. ‘’Now that I am used to batting in different positions, I just go in and see what I need to do and how early I need to attack. I know how to manage my innings,’’ remarked KL, to whom Yashasvi expressed his gratitude for helping out during their epic opening partnership.

‘’Well, Yashasvi and I were going out to open for the first time but we did have a few chats. I saw a little bit of myself in Yashasvi when I walked in as a newcomer and Murali Vijay, who was my partner, helped me a lot in 2014 in terms of calming the nerves. I just tried to do the same,’’ he said.

An Australian tour does bring back childhood memories for KL when he would get up early in the morning to tune in for the Test match telecast with his father. ‘’This is where it all started for me,’’ KL remarked in reference to his debut at the MCG.

While Perth had provided India with happy memories, KL said the team was ready to move on as it’s a different challenge. ‘’The idea will be to win sessions and not look too far ahead,’’ he said.

Meanwhile, Cricket Australia has deployed a Multicultural Action Plan to tackle racism in the ongoing series. The move aims to tackle and prevent incidents involving Indian players being subjected to racial abuse as on the last tour, Mohammed Siraj was targeted by Australian fans in 2020-21.

CA’s Michael Nepper said in a statement: “It’s very simple. If we can identify and know who has done an act like that, whatever that act might be, they would immediately be asked to leave. I’m saying that politely, they’ll be removed. And that will happen within the venue itself. They would then be part of… call it a legal process where we would look at a potential banning order. And so they can’t come to cricket going forward.”