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KL Rahul recall events before he was asked to fill in Virat's shoes

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Stylish Indian opener KL Rahul has revealed that he was taken aback when former Test skipper Virat Kohli came up to him on the morning of a Test match to tell him that he would have to lead the side in his absence.


The Test match Rahul is referring to was the 2nd game of the three-match series during the recent tour of South Africa.


Having taken a 1-0 lead following a thumping win at SuperSport Park in Centurion, India went to Johannesburg brimming with confidence.


The second Test was supposed to be Kohli's 99th match but everyone was taken aback at the toss when they didn't see the former skipper walk out with the Proteas skipper.


It was later revealed that Kohli had opted out of the Test due to a back spasm- an issue that has grappled him in the last two to three years.


With Rohit Sharma not available for the entire series due to a hamstring injury, KL Rahul was Kohli's deputy for the Test rubber.


Recalling the events of the morning of the game when Virat came up to him to arise of the same, Rahul said, "Like everyone else, it came to me as a huge surprise to me. I was the vice-captain. As a vice-captain you slowly prepare yourself to become the captain in due time. 


“But then I didn’t expect it to come to me so quickly and in such circumstances: the morning of the game, Virat (Kohli) came to me in the bus and said, ‘My back is not feeling great, you might have to captain the team,” said Rahul during a chat on the Red Bull Cricket Room, hosted by Clubhouse.


Rahul further added that the additional pressure of leading the side in such an important Test didn't put me off but admitted that it was a proud feeling for him to see ‘C’ against his name.


"It didn’t put me off or my mindset didn’t change a lot. All of us, in some way or the other, when we play the game we are our own captain and in our head, we are playing situations like we are a captain.


“When that ‘C’ in the team list comes, it does feel new and it is something you are proud of. It's an honour not many people get and it is something you always dream of and I was very happy, very grateful,” concluded the stylish opener.


Unfortunately, for KL and Team India, it did not prove to be a happy outing as a resurgent South Africa turned the tables on the N0.1 ranked Test side in the world by chasing down 240 in the fourth innings.


The home side also went on to win the next Test in Cape Town to ensure that Kohli's final assignment as Test skipper ended in heartbreak.


Rahul also captained India in the three-match ODI series, which he ended up losing 0-3.

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