KL Rahul’s childhood coach, Samuel Jayaraj, stated that the wicketkeeper-batter has been handling challenges from a young age. Rahul showcased his composure by scoring a century on Day 1 of the second unofficial Test between India A and England Lions. His 116-run knock as an opener could strengthen his chances for selection in the upcoming England tour, which begins on June 20.
According to Jayaraj, Rahul has always adapted effectively to varied batting positions and constantly followed instructions. He praised Rahul’s maturity and noted that despite not being selected for the T20 World Cup, the cricketer stayed composed, demonstrating how much he has grown as a player.
“As a coach, I don’t find this shocking. He was always prepared. He was also a wicketkeeper. He would skilfully rotate his strike, taking singles on the fourth, fifth, or sixth ball before moving on to the following over. He is quite good at following directions.
“If you noticed in the Champions Trophy, his role was very specific, and he executed it perfectly,” Samuel Jayaraj told NDTV Sports.
“In fact, despite having an excellent ODI World Cup, he was not selected for the T20 World Cup. He didn’t complain or become frustrated. Because he saw these things as a child. That is why he is so strong now, both psychologically and technically. And that is his greatest strength. He’s developed significantly. He has been playing high-level cricket for the past ten years. That experience shows. When you watch him now, he’s a completely different player – lot more calm, poised, and in charge. “That calmness is what stands out to me the most,” he said.
He remarked that he would tell Rahul to simply enjoy the game and have fun while playing. Jayaraj expressed optimism that the world will see a fresh version of the Bengaluru-born cricketer during the England tour, citing greater mental strength and enhanced red-ball technique.
“I always tell him one thing: enjoy and become. That has always been my message, slogan, and perhaps even my password. You need to enjoy what you do. You need to be happy. “If you’re not happy, your body will not respond in the way you want it to,” Jayaraj explained.
“For me, form is fleeting, but the skills and techniques you learn stick with you forever. To be honest, when he was playing state and zonal matches in Mangalore and Bangalore, we coaches were always thinking about the red ball. We didn’t think much of white-ball cricket back then. So the basis he established – the technique and skill – were based on red-ball cricket. In England, we will see a more mature KL Rahul,” Jayaraj said.
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