Indian limited overs vice-captain and opening batsman KL Rahul has shared fellow match-winner Suryakumar Yadav’s approach towards the chase, as the two experienced batsmen prevented a complete collapse of the Indian batting order and guided the side to a comfortable eight-wicket victory.
The two players scored important half-centuries after the dismissals of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma as India chased down a small total against the Proteas to take the first of three games in Thiruvananthapuram.
Yadav walked in at a particularly perilous time for the Indians, as Rohit’s duck was followed by Virat also falling to Anrich Nortje, leaving the Indians in a spot of bother. Rahul employed a cautious approach, playing mostly defensive shots as the Protean bowlers applied constant pressure on the batsmen.
However, Yadav was completely carefree, playing attacking shots from the very first ball. After receiving a peach of delivery first up from Nortje that ‘woke him up’, the Mumbai Indians batter told Rahul that he would play his natural game and did so to excellent effect, notching up a 33-ball half century to take India home.
“He said if I look to be defensive on a pitch like this, I am not sure I will be able to do the job for the team. I am going to stick with what I know best and play my shots and see how I can get runs.”
Rahul said in an interview following the game.
“After the first ball that hit him [Nortje’s nipbacker cut in and bounced to rap Surya on his chest almost], he just woke up! He just wants to play his shots and be aggressive. And take on the bowling.”
the Lucknow Super Giants captain continued.
The wicket at Thiruvananthapuram was evidently a challenging one to bat on, and Rahul corroborated that very fact.
“It’s right up there as one of the toughest pitches that we have played in. We have played in some difficult conditions like this but I haven’t got runs, so this was hard work,”
he concluded.
