KL Rahul addressed criticism of his Test average, emphasizing that he values enjoying cricket and executing his game plans over focusing on statistics.
KL Rahul on Test Averages: Prioritising Process Over Numbers
Senior Indian batter KL Rahul addressed discussions about his Test average, which has been under scrutiny in recent years. After 63 Tests, his average stands at 35.41—below the expectations many have for a player of his talent. While he has excelled on overseas tours, his home record has often been inconsistent. Frequent changes in his batting position affected his numbers, but Rahul has now returned to the opening spot, where his Test career began.
The return to the top of the order has coincided with a purple patch in his career, especially after assuming the role of India’s senior-most player in the Test setup following Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s retirements. On the England tour, he amassed 532 runs in 10 innings at an average of 53.20, including two centuries and two fifties, with a highest score of 137. He carried this momentum into the ongoing Test series against the West Indies, scoring a fine century in the first innings at the Narendra Modi Stadium.
Rahul shared his approach to criticism over his Test numbers, emphasising that he focuses on enjoying his cricket and executing his game plans rather than obsessing over statistics. “I don’t let it bother me, but it’s not that I don’t see it. Obviously I see it, and ideally any batter would want their numbers to be as high as possible. But right now, it’s more important for me to make sure my game plans are tight and that I am enjoying my cricket. Those are the boxes I want to tick more than thinking about numbers. When I do these things well, the runs and numbers naturally follow,” Rahul explained on JioHotstar.
“I try and focus on the simpler things”: KL Rahul
The 33-year-old shared his approach to managing expectations and pressure, explaining that he focuses on the basics he can control and takes things step by step, leaving the rest to fate rather than getting overwhelmed by numbers or outside opinions.
