KL Rahul’s net session is all about meticulousness. Right from picking his gears out of a nattily packed kitbag to facing bowlers, his every movement is measured. There was no exception at the KSCA (B) grounds here on Wednesday as he readied himself for Karnataka’s crucial Ranji Trophy match against Haryana. During the 40-minute nets, Rahul never looked hurried against throw-downs, pace or spin, and even found time to sign some autographs and pose for a couple of selfies with the waiting fans.
But the zero theatrics masked the enormity the next month holds in his career that has entered its second decade.
The cycle starts from Wednesday at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, as big runs from his willow will make the job easier for Karnataka in their last league match of Elite Group C.
Despite the difference in formats and quality, a critical role in guiding Karnataka to the knockouts will give a fillip to him ahead of the three-match ODI series against England, beginning on February 6 before leaving for Dubai for the ICC Champions Trophy.
While Rahul is set to bat at No. 3 for Karnataka in his first competitive outing post the tour to Australia, the right-hander might occupy the No. 5 slot for India in the one-dayers.
It’s the position that mandates batting in the middle passage to the business end of the innings.
Overall, he has brilliant numbers at No. 5 — 1259 runs from 30 innings at an average of 57.2 with two hundreds and nine fifties, his best figures across the batting positions.
Now, batting at that position in India and in Dubai will require him to negate spinners and Cricket 21 metrics show favourable stats.
Rahul averages 47.6 at a strike-rate of 89 against leg-arm spinners (381 runs in 31 innings), while he makes runs at 53.9 against off-spinners at an average of 47.6 — 377 runs from 35 innings.
In the Champions Trophy, Rahul will come up against a plethora of quality left-arm spinners from Bangladesh and New Zealand such as Mitchell Santner.
The 32-year-old has excellent figures against the orthodox variety — 342 from 29 innings at an average of 68.4 and made runs at a strike-rate of 95.
It also means that Rahul will have to play late, opposite to what he had done in Australia while standing a bit outside the crease to negate the swing.
The Karnataka man will have to bring out his cuts and drives more often during those upcoming assignments.
Coming from the city of GR Viswanath and Rahul Dravid, it’s not quite surprising then that Rahul has immense success with square cuts against spin — 12.1 per cent of his 2851 runs have come through that shot.
The drives — cover and off — have accounted for 10.7% runs each while runs through the on-drive is a close fourth on the list with 10.2%.
It was then of little wonder that Rahul asked the Karnataka throw down specialist and spinner Hardik Raj to keep the line outside the off-stump, as he played a few withering cuts and flowing drives off them.
However, if the ongoing T20Is can be taken as a portend, the England bowlers will not shy away from using a few snorters against him.
But pull is his most productive shot against pace as 15.9 per cent of his runs have come through it while getting out seven times, and he strikes at 164 while playing that particular shot. So, there was some focus on it too during the nets.
Now, the Ranji Trophy match here will give Rahul a chance to further perfect those shots against a relatively less intense opponent and atmosphere before travelling into a tough summer.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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