Cricket News

‘I am looking forward to playing here’ – KL Rahul is upbeat about playing in Zimbabwe again

India will lock horns with Zimbabwe in the first ODI of the three-match series at Harare on Thursday. KL Rahul returns to the squad after a long break of almost three months. He will be leading the side at the nation where he began his white-ball career six years ago, registering a wonderful ton in his first ODI.

Rahul has finally recovered from his hernia injury and Covid-19 complications to make it to the Indian team and will lead the team for only the second series in his career. The swashbuckling opener was designated to lead the Men in Blue earlier this year against South Africa in a five-match T20I series but unfortunately had to pull out of the series due to a groin injury days before the start of the series.

The batter was about to make his return to the Indian side after completing his rehab at the NCA in Bangalore following hernia surgery, but he had problems again as he tested positive for Covid-19, which caused a roadblock to feature for the Indian team in the Caribbean tour. However, the Indian star is looking forward to leading the side in the series in a country where he has fond memories and is aiming to create more happy memories.

“My ODI and T20I debut was in Harare, I got a 100 in my first game, so I have great memories here. Hopefully can add to those memories. Coming back here after so many years and getting the opportunity to lead your country, obviously when you look back, it’s very pleasing,” Rahul was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo.

“As a person, you can see how much you’ve grown and how far you’ve come as a player. It gives me great joy. Hopefully can add to those good memories and play some good cricket over the next week,” he added. 

When a captain is true to himself, it spreads to the other players – KL Rahul on the team’s atmosphere

KL Rahul has been at the helm for the Punjab and Lucknow side in the Indian T20 League and has done well. But, as India’s captain, he has not had the winning start that he would have liked. He will be looking to set things right in Zimbabwe and is confident that he will lead the team well.

“I’m still young, this is just my second series as captain. But my personality is such that I feel only when a captain is true to himself, it spreads to the other players. I am a calm person, so I can’t go out there and try to be someone else. I try to be myself and let the other players be themselves and express themselves as they want to. There will be no pressure on the players to be different,” he added.