India wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul helped the team record victory over New Zealand in the first ODI of the three-match series. He played an unbeaten knock of 29 that saw the Men in Blue reach the target of 301 with six deliveries left to spare. Rahul, who began his international career as an opener, has transitioned well into the role of a middle-order batter and has given several impressive performances .
Rahul on batting in the middle-order
Rahul has been batting at No.5 or 6 in ODIs for the past few years now. After taking India to victory against New Zealand, the 33-year-old remarked that batting in the middle-order has helped him understand his batting a lot more. However, he further said that coming out to bat in the final few overs is quite pressurising as he is expected to play in explosive fashion from the first delivery itself.
"I honestly walk in and look at the scoreboard and see what I need to do for the next few overs. If I'm opening the batting, obviously, I get, a lot of overs and most of the overs I can plan that, and that's something that I've done throughout my life, so I never had to plan or think about how can I be consistent in that phase," Rahul told broadcasters after the match.
"Honestly, I think batting at five or six has helped me understand my batting a lot more. It's a completely different challenge. I walk in at a stage like that where you need to hit a boundary properly from ball one and, and there's so much pressure and there. You have 5 fielders outside. When you're opening the batting, you don't see fielders at all. Everyone's right next to you, so it's much easier batting there," he added.
Rahul enjoys the pressure of batting at No.6 and said that he is grateful for the opportunities that he has gotten. He also said that he just wants to stay in the playing XI and is ready to bat wherever the team wants him to do.
"There is a lot more pressure at No.6 and one mistake and you can be on the losing side and all the blame comes on you. It's been exciting and I'm grateful that the opportunities that I've got every time I've been put under pressure, I've somehow found a way to make it work for the team and get the team over the line. So I'm just happy and I'm just like going along with it and I've said this before, I just want to be in the XI, put me anywhere. I'm happy to do the job," Rahul stated.
India take the lead
Meanwhile, India have taken a 1-0 lead in the ODI series against New Zealand by winning the opening game by four wickets. The two teams will now clash in the second ODI that will be held on January 14 at the Niranjan Shah stadium in Rajkot.