The Indian cricketer KL Rahul played a crucial role in securing India’s long-awaited Champions Trophy victory, ending a 12-year drought. Chosen over Rishabh Pant as the team’s wicketkeeper-batter, the Karnataka cricketer proved his selection right by delivering an all-round performance.
With six catches and a stumping behind the wickets along with scoring 140 runs across four innings, KL Rahul was instrumental in India’s success. His unbeaten 42 against Australia in the semi-final and a steady 34 off 33 balls in the final against New Zealand showcased his composure under pressure.
Following his triumph in his first ICC tournament as a player, KL Rahul sat down for an interview with Sanjana Ganesan, where she asked him about the experience of keeping wickets against India’s formidable spin quartet of Varun Chakravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel.
Laughing off the idea that it was an enjoyable task, Rahul admitted that “it’s not fun, Sanjana” as it was physically exhausting. He explained that keeping against such high-quality spinners required immense effort, with constant squatting (around 200-250) making it a demanding job. The conditions in Dubai further amplified the challenge, as the pitches favored the spinners, making their deliveries even trickier to handle.
A clip of Rahul’s candid response quickly gained traction online, with fans appreciating his honesty and humour about the challenges of wicketkeeping.
Here is the video clip:
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Reflecting on the team’s victory, Rahul, who also remained unbeaten on 41 in India’s opening match against Bangladesh, expressed that winning the Champions Trophy with the national team was an unmatched feeling.
He recalled how he had previously spoken about focusing solely on winning titles and now with the Champions Trophy in his hands, he felt grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the team’s success.
Emphasising the unpredictability of sports, Rahul noted that while not every opportunity turns into success, staying humble, working hard and letting one’s performance speak ultimately lead to rewards. He described the triumph as a special moment that made all the effort and dedication worthwhile.
