KL Rahul said he wouldn't find approaching the retirement deicision difficult in the future. (BCCI)
Despite bursting onto the international scene through a probing initiation in Australia during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 12 years ago, KL Rahul’s record across formats remains largely unfulfilled, given his innate batting abilities.
The Karnataka batter, however, has found a fresh lease of life in a stable role in the ODI middle-order, emerging as one of the most solid No. 5 batters in 50-overs cricket ever since the last World Cup year in 2023. Rahul is the only No. 5 batter in the world to possess a 60-plus average and a near 100-plus strike rate in the format in the period since. At 33, the right-handed wicket-keeper is just ripening in ODIs, while his T20I career seems all but over after having played for India in 2022. Rahul remains India’s first-choice Test opener, but his 35.86 average belies his potential.
Rahul has not shied away from speaking about his international cricket and is detached enough from his national kit to admit that he can walk freely when the time arrives.
“I don’t think it’s [retirement] gonna be that difficult. If you’re honest with yourself, when it’s time, it’s time. And there’s no point dragging it. Obviously, I’m some time away,” Rahul said in an interaction with former England captain Kevin Pietersen on his YouTube channel.
Rahul also walked through the mental side of wading through several injuries in his career. “There have been times when I’m injured and I’ve been injured so many times and that’s the hardest battle that you have to face. It’s not the pain that the physio puts you through or the surgeon puts you through. It’s the mental battle where your mind just gives up. You know, when it happens so many times, your mind is just like, you’ve done enough. You’ve been lucky enough that cricket’s given you enough money. You can survive for the next how many ever years.”
Rahul said he tries not to consider himself invaluable to the national side’s causes, which makes the retirement decision easier in the future.
“Just quit. Just enjoy the stuff that you’ve got and you have your family and just do that. That’s the hardest battle. So I try and tell myself that I’m not that important. Cricket in our country will carry on. Cricket in the world will carry on. There are more important things in life and I think this mindset I’ve always had, but ever since I’ve had my first baby, it’s just like, you know, the way you look at life is completely different. So yeah, that’s what I am,” he added.
After having completed India’s ODI assignments earlier this month, Rahul will turn up for Karnataka in a must-win Ranji Trophy match against Punjab in Mohali on Thursday.
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