"In 2 minutes, you see a 3-hour movie going through your head" - Local boy KL Rahul gets nostalgic ahead of IND vs NZ 2024 1st Test
Team India batter and local lad KL Rahul expressed his emotions about playing in front of his home crowd against New Zealand at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium ahead of the first Test, starting October 16. The video of the same was posted by BCCI on its official social media account.
KL Rahul has played for Karnataka at all age levels and also represented Karnataka-based IPL franchise Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in 2013 and 2016. He is also a crowd favorite at the venue, being cheered whenever he walks out to bat, with the most recent instance being the first match of the 2024 Duleep Trophy where he got the loudest cheers out of all India A players.
In a short feature video released by BCCI on its official X account, Rahul said that the prospect of playing in front of a home crowd is very special. The 32-year-old said:
"It is always special to come back to your home ground and to a place where you have grown up and played all your cricket. The first game I played here was when I was 11 and a half years old. I am 32 now so a lot has changed but the feeling of playing here for the first time remains, so it is always special to come back home."
Rahul shared his experience of how it feels like when walking out to the middle here. He added:
"When you walk out to the middle, there are too many emotions flowing through, too many memories coming back. It is like in two minutes you see a three-hour movie going through your head about the time I played here first, then age group, IPL, Ranji and then international cricket. So all of that comes into your head and you have goosebumps. It is a magical feeling for a player. People, foreigners and Indians enjoy coming here and playing cricket in the place I call home."
Take a look at the video below:
Rahul also shared his experience of having breakfast in the neighboring canteen and his story about having long hair then. Ravindra Jadeja also made an appearance in the video and told how difficult it was for him to maintain his hair. Towards the end, KL spoke in Kannada and invited people to come to the stadium in large numbers.
KL Rahul could play up the order against New Zealand in the IND vs NZ 2024 Test series
As per multiple reports, Shubman Gill is set to be out of the series opener against New Zealand at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru, owing to back and neck spasms. He missed out on a T20I game against Sri Lanka due to the same discomfort and in his absence, KL Rahul is expected to bat at number three, with Sarfaraz Khan making his way into the XI.
The first Test between India and New Zealand will be played from October 16 to 20.