KL Rahul said that questions regarding his fitness must have been answered after how he played in the Asia Cup 2023 and the opening ODI against Australia at the PCA Stadium in Mohali.
On his return following his injury layoff, Rahul scored a hundred against Pakistan in the Super Four match at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.
Rahul, on Friday, September 22, stayed not out on 58 runs off 63 balls with four fours and a six. On the back of his knock, India chased down 277 with eight balls to spare.
“Everyone has seen me playing in the Asia Cup, I played all the games in the Super Fours. I kept 50 overs, batted and scored runs as well, so I think that question is answered for everyone who were concerned about my fitness. Hopefully, I’ll carry on in the same way with a big two months coming up with the World Cup and the Australia series,” Rahul said.
Rahul sustained a hip injury while playing for the Lucknow Super Giants in the previous edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Thereafter, he underwent surgery and rehabilitation to return to full fitness before the World Cup.
“I knew when I would return to the side, I’d have to keep wickets and batâ€æ The physical challenges are a lot more compared to when I am only batting. I knew this, so I worked very hard on my fitness. As cricketers, we know the challenges that we will have to face on the field and we try to replicate that at training and practice sessions,” he added.
“They keep giving me more responsibilities, which shows that they believe and trust in my abilities. It gives me a lot of confidence and I also enjoy taking responsibility. It makes life and playing cricket a lot more fun,” Rahul added.
In Rohit Sharma’s absence, Rahul is leading the Indian team in the bilateral series against the Aussies.
