KL Rahul’s measured 137 at Headingley has done more than push India towards safety. It has reminded the opener that effort and outcome rarely travel in a straight line.
Key facts first: called in to open because Rohit Sharma remains sidelined, Rahul occupied the crease for more than five hours, shepherding India from an uneasy 110 for 4 to a position of mild comfort. England still fancy their chances, yet Rahul has pocketed another overseas hundred – his eighth, seven of which have come away from home – and a fresh lesson about detachment.
“The sooner you learn that there is no connection [of your game, preparation etc] with the outcome and the results that you get, the calmer you can be,” he said afterwards. “And I feel like that’s the only thing that gives you the best chance to play at this level for a long period of time. And that’s something that I’ve consciously done as well.”
It was said without bravado, more a quiet admission. Rahul’s Test average still hovers in the mid-30s, a figure that jars when set against some of his shot-making. He accepts the numbers and the frustration.
“It’s always disappointing for a batter when you get starts and don’t convert it and get a big score for the team,” he noted, thinking back to the Australian tour where 26, 77 and 84 flattered to deceive. “I was happy with the way I was batting in Australia, but very disappointed at the end of the series that I couldn’t convert. I think I had opportunities in every game, I got starts in every game, and in an ideal world, I would’ve wanted to convert all of those innings into big knocks.”
The honesty continues. “Sometimes you get a good ball, sometimes you play a bad shot. It’s part of the game, so you learn from the mistakes, and that’s something that I learned from that series, just to make sure that once I get a start, try and make it count and transfer as many runs as I can.”
That conversion problem has shaped a curious career. Rahul has never topped 400 runs in a Test series, which in turn explains why he floats up and down the order. On India’s last visit to England he only appeared because Mayank Agarwal was concussed in the nets. In Australia he opened when Rohit flew home on paternity leave. Flexibility has become habit.
“The last couple of years I’ve forgotten what my position is and what I’m comfortable doing,” he admitted, half-smiling. “I’m happy to be given different responsibi…” The sentence tailed off as he tried to describe the juggling act, yet the point was made: willingness over ego.
Coaches believe the method is sound. Former India batter Wasim Jaffer tweeted that Rahul’s “technique stood up brilliantly on a surface offering seam and bounce”. Bowling coach Paras Mhambrey praised the opener for “leaving on length”, an understated skill in English conditions.
Technical notes aside, Rahul insists the mental side remains decisive. “Just all you can do is your best in terms of preparation and giving yourself the best chance to succeed. But again, there’s no guarantees. When you have a good day, you are happy. When you have a bad day, you’re still happy that you had the opportunity.”
It is not a rousing speech, more a pragmatic creed. Rahul has stopped measuring himself solely by scorecards. Ironically, that very shift may help lift the numbers.
