Rahul was picked as a back-up option in the middle-order for the England series. However, with Shubman Gill being ruled out and Mayank Agarwal suffering a concussion ahead of the first Test, Rahul found himself opening the innings in Nottingham. He gave a good account of himself with a well-compiled 84.
Speaking after the end of the day’s play at the media conference, Rahul said about his performance, “Look, if anything in the last two years I have learnt, that you be ready to do anything, I have been asked to do different roles, a lot of times and I quite enjoy doing it, so this was another opportunity for me to go out there and challenge myself.”
On the mindset change needed from batting in the middle-order to opening, Rahul pointed out that it wasn’t massive since he has opened all his life. The Karnataka batter added, “Obviously, the Test cricket I have played so far, I have opened the batting, so something that I have done now all my life, so it wasn’t something really new. I have opened for India in the past. So when the opportunity presented itself, I wanted to go out there and grab it and make the most of it.”
Rahul though admitted that he was pleased with the discipline he showed at the crease. “Happy that today I could go out there, show a lot of discipline, and get my team a good start and put us in a good position,” Rahul stated.
Thanks to Rahul’s 84 and Ravindra Jadeja’s 56, India responded with 278 to England’s 183, a first-innings lead of 95. England were 25/0 when played was called off early on Day 3 due to rain
--By A Cricket Correspondent
