A back-of-a-length delivery from Mohammed Siraj was straying down the leg side as Bangladesh’s Mehidy Hasan Miraz got the faintest of tickles. At first glance, it looked like the ball would beat the wicketkeeper but KL Rahul got his feet and glove to work in tandem and leapt acrobatically to his left to cling onto the chance one-handed.
It was a stunner that left even his teammates in awe. Rahul pulled off another sensational catch when he dived low to dismiss Aiden Markram at Eden Gardens the other day.
Rahul has been consistently smart with his glovework in the World Cup. His efforts have been rewarded adequately as he twice clinched the medal for the team’s best fielder, an initiative of the support staff led by fielding coach T. Dilip.
Rahul Dravid had chalked out his plans long before the start of India’s World Cup campaign. With Rishabh Pant ruled out, the only way the team could compensate was through a sensible batter who could keep wickets and earn a berth in the playing XI.
And Rahul fitted into the scheme of things perfectly.
Having seen Rahul from close quarters during his formative years with Karnataka, Dravid knew he had regularly kept wickets at the age-group level. It was only later that the batter Rahul moved out of the wicketkeeper’s shadow though he kept regularly in the IPL.
By including a 'keeper-batter, India could play five specialist bowlers besides Hardik Pandya as an additional all-rounder. Rahul’s injury and the subsequent surgery for a quadricep tear did scuttle Dravid’s plans for a while but the medical team at the National Cricket Academy worked hard behind the scenes to get him back to match fitness.
Overcoming the mental barrier was the biggest challenge for Rahul. Just as he was regaining fitness, another niggle delayed his comeback. It was baptism by fire when Rahul was told to play against Pakistan in the Asia Cup, his first match since the injury, minutes before the toss. He responded with a century and has only peaked since.
He provided the cushion to the top-order at No.5 and forged some valuable partnerships which has been one of the hallmarks of India’s winning streak. But it is his wicketkeeping skills which have been an eye-opener.
Squatting wasn’t easy as it requires strength in the quadriceps. So was the case with his staying low and shuffling to the sides. In his own words, at times, Rahul had the fear of pain lurking at the back of his mind. He couldn’t focus on his wicketkeeping skills but fielding coach Dilip played a huge role in sharpening his movements.
“One skill generally which really gets ignored is wicketkeeping... coming to the wicket and coming to the stumps to collect the throws, doing the leg side stumpings and catches. Overall KL Rahul was fantastic,” Dilip said in the dressing room during one of the medal-giving ceremonies.
Rahul also recently revealed that has become more “thick-skinned” and has taken professional help to shun the “outside noise” while taking a leaf out of skipper Rohit Sharma’s book by shunning “social media”.
Having been reappointed vice-captain following Pandya’s injury, Rahul has to shoulder more responsibility. Having got rid of the mental block, he is now up for the new challenge.
