10 years of KL Rahul in international cricket: A journey of resilience, versatility, and adaptability

When Team India takes on Australia in the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Thursday, batter KL Rahul, one of the sport's most intriguing, talented, versatile and puzzling figures, will be completing 10 years in international cricket. All eyes will be on the in-form Rahul to deliver another steady knock, providing support to the middle order against the menacing new ball.

However, reports suggest that skipper Rohit Sharma might open the innings, with Rahul dropping down to number three, despite being the leading run-scorer for an underperforming Indian batting unit, with 235 runs in three Tests at an average of 47.00 and two half-centuries. Yet, this has been the story of Rahul's career in recent years: always adapting for the team while fighting his own battles.

Throughout his decade-long career, KL Rahul has experienced several repeating patterns--sometimes due to skill, sometimes due to factors like fitness, team combinations, match situations, and even luck. Often compared to legendary Rahul Dravid for his technical proficiency and monk-like demeanour, Rahul has lived a paradox: loved yet despised, talented but inconsistent, a saviour in overseas Tests, but with overall numbers that don't fully reflect his value. Despite his immense versatility and utility, Rahul has struggled to secure a permanent spot or a fixed batting position in the team.

KL Rahul first came into the limelight during the 2010 U19 World Cup. In six matches, he made 143 runs at an average of 28.60, with one half-century to his name. Some fine showings in first-class cricket, particularly during a breakthrough 2013-14 season, witnessed the batter solidify himself as a player of 'Rahul Dravid' school of cricket. In 10 matches for the Ranji-winning Karnataka team that season, KL made 1,033 runs at an average of 68.86 in 17 innings. This included three centuries and four fifties, with a best score of 158. This also included a title-sealing century in the final for which he earned the 'Player of the Match' title. He was the second-highest run-scorer in the season.

On the back of this breakout season, some solid performances for Karnataka in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) and twin centuries in the Duleep Trophy 2014 final, KL found his way into the Indian team, getting his debut cap from skipper MS Dhoni at the MCG during third Test of Border-Gavaskar Trophy. This kickstarted a decade marked by: Frustrating inconsistency, injuries, resilience, patches of genius and class at home and overseas and most importantly, his versatility.

CONSISTENTLY STREAKY: After twin failures (scores of 3 and 1) in his debut Test, KL could have very well been reduced to a small footnote in a highly competitive, transitional era of Indian cricket. However, KL bounced back with a classy 110 in 262 balls, with 13 fours and a six, during the final Test at Sydney, helping India draw the match.

This comeback ton after a setback kickstarted a cyclic pattern that would chase KL throughout his career, making his stats an incorrect representation of his immense talent and potential: A cycle of him scoring a century, following it with a string of low/unremarkable scores, putting his rough run to an end with a century worthy of being studied by aspiring players, but...follow it with some more rough outings again.

A hot streak of nine fifties in 12 innings starting from Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2017 at home till year-end met a screeching halt as the batter had a subpar 2018-19 in Tests. In this phase, he did play an incredible and well-fought knock of 149, giving India a fighting chance to chase down the 464 set by England at The Oval in 2018, but other than that, he could score just 392 runs in other 14 matches and 24 innings at an average of 16.33 and just one half-century. Notably, he also missed out on two crucial Border-Gavaskar Trophy matches after failing to make an impact in the first two.

Similarly, an all-time classic knock of 129 at Lord's against England in August 2021 was followed by another poor run, though it included a match-winning 123 against South Africa at Centurion. In nine Tests after the Lord's masterclass, he could score just 392 runs in 17 innings at an average of 23.05 with a century and fifty. His poor run led to him being dropped from the side amid BGT 2023 at home.

RHYTHM BREAKING INJURIES: Injuries did not help him either, as there have been at least 15 documented instances of him picking up an injury (as per Wisden), ruling him out of important matches at home, the 2017 IPL and ICC Champions Trophy among many other bilateral series/tournaments. Recently in 2024, he missed a high-scoring home series against England after a fine 86 in the first Test due to a quadriceps injury. With each injury came time away from home, a break in rhythm, frustration and perhaps a few changes in the game to stay injury-free.

But as he has done on many occasions, KL rose like a phoenix in December 2023 with a century against South Africa at Centurion, a statement from a battle-hardened batter that he will keep fighting his circumstances. Since then, KL has had a sustained run in the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25, scoring 574 runs in nine matches at an average of 41.00, with a century and four fifties in 16 innings. His strike rate of 59.11 is also higher than his career strike rate of around 52.

During his interactions with the media, KL has been extremely vocal about ill effects of social media trolling on his mental health. Instead of giving it back on social media, the batter has taken a more resilient route of upping his game and fitness and shutting down critics while closing his ears, celebrating yet another comeback/match-winning knock.

INDIA'S SILENT GUARDIAN IN SENA COUNTRIES: KL has been one of India's brightest stars in overseas conditions. Seven of his eight Test centuries have come outside India. In 36 Tests outside India, he has scored 2,067 runs at an average of 32.29, with seven centuries and seven fifties in 65 innings. His best score is 149. Five of these centuries have come in SENA (SA, England, New Zealand and Australia) where India have been weak historically. However, his undeniable ability overseas does not reflect well in batting averages of 30.14 in Australia (422 runs in eight Tests with a century and two fifties), 34.11 in England (614 runs in nine Tests with two centuries and a fifty) and 28.38 in South Africa (369 runs in seven Tests with two centuries and a fifty).

While more consistent returns away from home by Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant kept KL away from becoming the 'Man of the Moment', the 32-year-old's contributions have become more pronounced and celebrated in recent times with Rahane and Pujara not playing and Virat battling a form slump in Tests.

The batter's home record though is better, having made 1,149 runs at an average of 39.62 in 20 Tests, with a century and 10 fifties in 32 innings and best score of 199.

A VERSATILE TEAM MAN: KL could very well be a synonym for the phrase 'Jack of All Trades'. Having gained repute initially as a red-ball specialist, KL made an immediate impact after his debut in both limited-overs formats in June 2016 following a breakthrough IPL season with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), scoring centuries across all formats within his first 15 innings, becoming the quickest player to do so.

From his T20I debut in June 2016 to 2020-end, he was India's top run-getter in T20Is and overall at second place, with 1,542 runs at an average of 44.05 and strike rate of 144.92 with two centuries and 12 fifties in 41 innings and best score of 110*, outdoing Rohit and Kohli. Having skills and the audacious attitude of a modern-day 360-degree T20 batter, he left no corner of the park untouched with his classy drives, flick-of-the-wrist shots and disdainful pulls and lofted hits.

However, not all reinventions end up sweetly. As his Test game improved in the 2020s owing to technique changes and better temperament, his T20I game went downhill. Across 2021-22, KL could score just 723 runs in 27 matches at an average of 28.92. His strike rate declined from 144.92 in 2016-2020 to 128.19. He did score 10 half-centuries in 27 innings, however, he was immensely criticised and trolled for his deteriorating power-hitting and strike rate. A disappointing run in T20 World Cup 2022, with just 128 runs in six innings at an average of 21.33 and a sub-par strike rate of just over 120 was perhaps fans' and selector's last straw with KL, having not featured in T20Is since the 10-wicket semifinal loss to England at Adelaide. KL's accumulating ways were discarded in favour of younger, energetic and free-flowing talent, who adopted the modern T20 mentality of valuing scoring rates over averages and milestones.

Despite a decline in T20Is, KL still stands as India's fourth-highest run-getter, with 2,265 runs at an average of 37.75 and a strike rate of 139.13, with two centuries and 22 fifties in 68 innings. Truly a story of what it could have been.

KL continues to be India's crisis man in Tests and ODIs. Captaincy? Wicketkeeping? Opening? Batting in the middle order? Striking powerful sixes? Playing the long game? Ask KL and he will do it all for the team while wearing a smile. Ever since Virat's resignation as Test captain in early 2022, KL went on to lead India in 16 matches (12 ODIs, three Tests and a T20I) across all formats, winning 11.

Though he has succeeded primarily as an opener in Tests and ODIs, he has adapted well to the middle-order, allowing the team to bring in younger stars like Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill at the top. In Tests, he has played 47 Tests as an opener, making 2,786 runs at an average of 35.71 with seven centuries and 14 fifties in 81 innings. In seven Tests playing in the middle-order (position 4 to 7), KL has done a solid job for himself with 342 runs in 11 innings at an average of 34.20, with a century and two fifties.

In ODIs as an opener KL has scored 915 runs in 23 Tests at an average of 43.57 and a strike rate of over 79, with three centuries and six fifties. His best score is 111. KL has displayed his best from position four to seven, scoring 1,859 runs at an average of 54.67 in 51 matches and 46 innings, with four centuries and 12 fifties. His best score is 112.

Whenever asked to do so, KL has been more than happy to take the keeping gloves, nailing his role as a wicketkeeper-batter to perfection during the 50-over World Cup last year at home with a mix of breathtaking catches and decision-review system (DRS) calls.

Having become a victim of his versatility, KL has not stuck to a single role a decade deep in his career. Be it moving up and down the order, taking the captaincy armband or wicket-keeping gloves or even sitting out on the sidelines to watch the new generation slowly take over, he has done it all, out of love for the game and a group of men wearing the Blue jersey. A team man to the core, at the heart of KL's decade-long journey is a willingness to reinvent, recalibrate, rise, grind and sit back on the sidelines if needed.

Will KL continue turning a new leaf in his career during this BGT and have an even better second half in store for himself and his fans? Only time will tell, but one thing is for sure, fans would be rooting for KL after such an interesting decade-long run. (ANI)