In a show of confidence from the Indian cricket team’s coaching staff, Assistant Coach Abhishek Nayar has expressed strong backing for KL Rahul, emphasizing his belief that the talented batter can convert his immense potential into consistent performances. Rahul, whose Test career has seen its fair share of ups and downs since his debut at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in 2014, has often been touted as a player brimming with potential but struggling with inconsistency.
Since making his Test debut, Rahul’s journey has been a mixture of highs and lows, marked by significant innings like his second Test century at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), and centuries in Colombo, Kingston, London, and Centurion. Despite these sterling contributions, Rahul’s overall consistency has been a point of concern. Among Indian batsmen who have played 50 or more Tests, Rahul’s average of 34.12 remains the lowest, a statistic highlighting his struggle to maintain form over an extended period.
Nayar, however, remains optimistic. Having predominantly opened for India, Rahul was recently positioned in the middle order, a move Nayar believes could help stabilize his performances. “When you are playing for India, inspiration is not something you need,” Nayar remarked on Thursday, ahead of the second Test against Bangladesh in Kanpur. “Sometimes it is just direction, and I feel, having spent a little time with KL in the last few days, he is someone who understands his game very well. Yes, there are times when a player is sort of finding his feet.”
Nayar referenced Rahul’s performances in South Africa, where he produced impressive knocks, accentuating the coaching staff’s belief in his abilities. Conversations with key figures like Gautam Gambhir have fueled hope for a turnaround in Rahul’s output. “These things sometimes take time,” Nayar noted, emphasizing the natural development processes athletes undergo.
In the recent first Test in Chennai, Rahul registered scores of 16 and 22* in his two innings. Although his second innings was cut short due to the team’s push for a declaration, Nayar found promise in Rahul’s performance. He expressed confidence that Rahul would soon start matching the team’s high expectations. “Even in the last game, the way he was batting in the second innings is the kind of cricket we are expecting and hoping from him. And I am pretty sure going forward you will see the expectations and the performances that you have from him.”
The restructuring saw Rahul replacing Sarfaraz Khan at No. 6 in Chennai. Sarfaraz’s recent commanding performances, including three half-centuries in five innings against England, underscored his rise to the national team after a decade-long grind at the domestic level.
. Despite this transition, Nayar stressed the importance of clear communication with players about their roles and expectations, ensuring those left out, like Sarfaraz, are managed well.
“The communication is very clear,” Nayar asserted. “The last Test match was 7-8 months ago and there has been a lot of time between that Test match and this one. The communication is very clear, what are your expectations from the players and what do you want them to work on.”
Reflecting on the recurring transitions all players face, Nayar cited examples of top Indian cricketers like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who similarly faced periods where they had to make way for others. Sarfaraz’s persistence was visible as he took an additional half-hour practice session on Wednesday alongside Dhruv Jurel and Yashasvi Jaiswal, reflecting his determination to stay prepared for future opportunities.
“There will be times when he will have to make way for a senior player. But in those times, it is very important that we as a support staff have a growth mindset and try to develop the players. If the players are even better, when they come back to the team and get a chance, they should be ready to perform,” Nayar said.
Looking ahead to the Kanpur Test, where KL Rahul is expected to retain his spot, the team might also consider including an additional spinner in the XI. However, rain is anticipated to affect most days of the match. Nayar remained cautious about the final team combination, noting the uncertainty about the playing surface. “To be honest, I don’t know which surface we are going to play on yet. But both the pitches look pretty good. Kanpur is often known to have good pitches. I am not sure about the bounce yet. With the conditions and the forecast, it is going to be interesting as to how it is when we turn up in the morning. A lot will depend on that because as you know in Test cricket, conditions can be a huge factor in how the pitch plays.”
Nayar concluded with a hopeful sentiment for better weather conditions. “We are hoping we come in tomorrow to a sunny day and not an overcast Kanpur.” The Indian team’s strategy and Rahul’s performance remain keenly observed as they prepare for another crucial Test match.