IND vs ENG Test: 'After the birth of his child...' - Former India coach reveals KL Rahul's preparation plan ahead of England tour
Former India assistant coach Abhishek Nayar praised KL Rahul's dedication and performance in the recently concluded five-Test series against England, where the batsman scored 532 runs at an average of 53.20, including two centuries and two half-centuries while forming a strong opening partnership with Yashasvi Jaiswal.
Rahul emerged as India's second-highest run-scorer in the series, showcasing his versatility across different batting positions.
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Nayar, who worked closely with Rahul during his tenure as India's assistant coach, acknowledged the effectiveness of the changes in Rahul's approach but preferred to keep them private.
"I can't talk about the changes that I've seen in KL Rahul. I can't, because then it's out there and the effectiveness goes down a lot," Nayar, who currently heads the Women's Premier League team UP Warriorz, told PTI.
"All I can say is that, whatever the changes are, they have really worked. Sometimes -- and I always say in a cricketer's journey and in a team's journey -- things need to click. You need a bit of the rub of the green. I think he's had that as well."
Yashasvi Jaiswal press conference: Message from Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli help, support from Gambhir
Nayar revealed that Rahul began his preparation for the England tour immediately after his last IPL match, despite having recently become a father.
"He has worked very, very hard.
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There are a very, very few people who know this that after the birth of his child he was in the IPL and he came back immediately," Nayar explained.
"He started preparing for the England Test series while a lot of people wouldn't have done that. He knew the importance of this series, he understood it."
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What do you think contributed most to KL Rahul's success in the recent Test series against England?
Hard work and dedication
Changes in his batting approach
Support from teammates
Conditions of the pitch
"And every minute post the last game that he played in the IPL, was about how he can do well in this Test series, so it's great to see him do well there and get the recognition that he rightly deserves being the guy who's done all the dirty jobs and still managed to perform at every every number in that batting order."
Nayar expressed confidence in Indian cricket's future and hoped for a positive outcome in the fifth Test.
"All in all, Indian cricket is in good hands and hopefully we wrap it up today and everything's good," he stated.
The former assistant coach also commended the Indian team's character during the tour.
"A lot of the changes that you've seen in our players getting runs is also somewhere the conditions which have played a part, but also the fact that the hunger that our players have had to go out there and actually prove a point, is on show," Nayar observed.
"The determination in the last game, the fight they showed, it just tells you that the mentality that our players carry and, the feeling that they have for Test cricket," he concluded.
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