[Watch] "Ek tag bhi lag gaya tha ki ye Test match player hai" - KL Rahul recalls how he changed people's perception of his power game
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) captain KL Rahul revealed that during his early days, the cricketing fraternity had tagged him as just a red-ball specialist. He opened up on how he surprised himself by hitting a six as he felt he didn't have the power game early on.
Speaking to Star Sports, Rahul shed light on how he had to work really hard to make his game conducive to the demands of white-ball cricket. Here's what he said:
"Initially, I was surprised I hit a six because I wasn't a strong T20 or ODI player back then. Ek tag bhi lag gaya tha ki ye Test match player hai, ye kabhi T20 ya one-day nahi khel paaega (I had also received a tag that I was just a Test match player and that I wouldn't play T20 and ODIs)."
Here's the video:
KL Rahul agreed that it took him a lot of time to get out of his comfort zone and change the perspective that people had about him that he could only play the longest format. In IPL 2014 and IPL 2015 for the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH), Rahul could only score 166 and 142 runs respectively.
KL Rahul on his breakout IPL 2016 season
KL Rahul played most games of IPL 2016 in the middle order for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and had a massive impact with 397 runs at an average of 44.11 and a strike rate of 146.49. He accepted that the season played a huge role in changing the perception about him.
On this, Rahul stated:
"In 2016 when I played the IPL, I had a very good year with RCB and after that I think people started seeing KL Rahul as a one-day and T20 player as well. So after quietly working hard for many years behind the scenes, I got my spotlight."
RCB went all the way to the final in 2016 and lost to SRH at home in the summit clash. Rahul moved on to Punjab in 2018 and then to Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in 2022 as their captain. LSG are still pretty much in the race ti make it to the playoffs for their third season in a row.