It isn't as easy as you think: KL Rahul on making a comeback after injury

KL Rahul | Source: Twitter

India's star opener and vice-captain KL Rahul opened up on the struggles and inner demons he has faced in recent times after making a comeback to the India team following a long injury hiatus. 

The right-handed batter returned to action during India's recent ODI series against Zimbabwe however he looked far from the best with the bat throughout the series.

Even in the first couple of games of the Asia Cup 2022, Rahul failed to get going as he was dismissed for a first-ball duck by Naseem Shah against Pakistan and could only score a 39-ball 36 in the second match against Hong Kong. 

The opening batter showed glimpses of his vintage self in the Super Four game against Pakistan, scoring 28 runs off 20 balls but he failed to keep the momentum intact against Sri Lanka. 

However, the 30-year-old finally came out all guns blazing in the match against Afghanistan on Thursday, where he peeled off 62 runs off 41 balls to provide the team a fiery start alongside Virat Kohli in the absence of regular skipper Rohit Sharma.

Finding the same touch wasn't easy: KL Rahul

Speaking in the post-match presentation, vice-captain KL Rahul conceded that he has realised that getting back to form after an injury layoff is not as easy as one presumes it to be. 

"Coming back after a big injury and surgery, I have realised playing the last few games that it is not as easy as you think. I was eager to come and play but obviously finding the same touch or same rhythm wasn't coming easily as I thought it would. It is a learning experience for me as a player."

Weighing in on his form, Rahul philosophised: 

"I was happy I could spend some time in the middle, and I started feeling good. In this format when you hit the first six off the middle gives you confidence, I think in the Hong Kong game I got a free hit and though I didn't time it as well as I could, I still hit the ball out of the ground, and it felt good." 

The Karnataka batter further revealed that he was feeling good playing the shots against the arch-rivals Pakistan in their latest Super Four encounter. The stand-in skipper also admitted that he is getting his form back slowly. 

"Coming into the Pakistan game I felt a little better and getting a few shots away gave me the confidence, I am slowly getting into a rhythm." 

Speaking of India's last Asia Cup 2022 game against Afghanistan on Thursday, the Men in Blue got on the throats of the Mohammad Nabi-led side from the word go and eventually annihilated them by a huge margin of 101 runs.  

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