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'This is my ground, my home, (I) know this (ground) better than anyone else. Something I have always done with my preparation is that I always try to adapt to different wickets.'
The Delhi Capitals (DC) continued their flawless run in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) with a clinical six-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on Thursday. The Capitals, now second on the points table, remain unbeaten with four wins from four games, thanks to a masterclass from KL Rahul on a tricky surface.
Player of the Match Rahul said watching the ball keenly behind the stumps helped him when he came in to bat.
Chasing 164, DC lost quick wickets early on a tricky surface.
Coming in to bat at 58 for 4, Rahul played a dominant hand with a counter-attacking unbeaten 93 off just 53 balls to take DC over the line.
Rahul's innings was embellished with seven boundaries and 6 towering maximums.
'It was a slightly tricky wicket, but what helped me was being behind the stumps for 20 overs, watching how the wicket played. The ball sat in the wicket but it was consistent throughout, it was one-paced,' Rahul said at the post-match presentation.
'I knew what my shots are, wanted to get off to a good start, and then assess it accordingly. It depends on the conditions and the ground and the dimensions. On a wicket like this, I knew what my pockets were. If I wanted to hit a big six, I knew what pockets to target, and 'keeping gave me a feeler for where other batters were dismissed and where they hit the sixes,' added Rahul.
Rahul also stated that having played a lot of cricket in his formative years at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium helped him immensely.
'This is my ground, my home, (I) know this (ground) better than anyone else. Something I have always done with my preparation is that I always try to adapt to different wickets (even in practice). I experiment in practice, get out a couple of times but it gives me a fair idea of the areas I can target -- where I can take singles, where I can hit sixes.'
DC skipper Axar Patel lauded Rahul's efforts.
'It becomes a very easy job for me. I have been in that situation, being used as a floater in pressure situations. It is not easy (changing positions). Having a player like him is a very good thing. I played a bad shot today to get out, but he played a mature innings and finished it off. He has been carrying his Champions Trophy form,' he said at the post-match presentation.
Rahul has lit up IPL 2025 with his batting. He missed the first match with paternity leave but has fired since taking guard for DC.
His scores of 15 (5) vs SRH, 77 (51) vs CSK in the previous match (while opening the innings) and 93 not out off 53 balls vs RCB on Thursday batting at number 4, shows that he out to prove his worth this season and make himself count with the T20 World Cup set to be held next year.