Hussain Hails KL Rahul For 'Masterclass' On Batting In English Conditions
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Nasser Hussain praised KL Rahul for his batting in tough English conditions, calling it a masterclass.
Former England captain Nasser Hussain praised K.L. Rahul for his resolute 72 not out in the first session on the fourth day of the first Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series, noting that the right-handed opener is demonstrating a masterclass on batting in English conditions.
On Monday, Rahul stood firm with his calm demeanour and ability to withstand pressure from the erratic balls and uneven bounce to achieve his 9th Test hundred.
'He is so elegant. Even when a ball goes past the outside edge, it doesn't faze him too much. If you want to learn how to bat in English conditions, he is giving you a masterclass," Hussain was quoted as saying on commentary during Sky Sports' broadcast at the lunch break, with India's lead at 159 runs.
Despite the ball moving around and some deliveries bouncing unpredictably, Rahul displayed restraint, enduring the challenging conditions while sharing an unbroken 61-run partnership with Rishabh Pant, who initially caused some chaos before settling down to 31 not out off 59 deliveries.
'Dinesh Karthik summed up this Rahul-Pant partnership pretty well when he said classical music from one end and hip-hop from the other. The hip-hop, Pant, has toned it down after a (frenzied) period. He had a word with himself and has got into his innings now. He has a relatively sensible head on, and Rahul has always had a sensible head on," added Hussain.
Rahul also had a stroke of luck on 58 when Harry Brook dropped a catch at gully off Josh Tongue, prompting former pacer Stuart Broad to explain the numerous dropped catches in the ongoing game.
Broad noted that Headingley is a challenging ground for fielding due to visibility issues, and even a momentary lapse in sight can lead to dropped catches. He also discussed potential strategies for England to dismiss a determined Rahul in the second session.
'I have more empathy for fielders dropping catches now that I am not playing and they are not coming off my bowling! Headingley is a difficult viewing ground – you can lose the ball in the stands, and when the clouds are in, certain bits are a bit darker. You only have to lose sight for 0.1 of a second, and you get tense."
He admired Rahul's driving but appreciated the field settings used by Stokes, which left mid-off open and tempted Rahul to drive straighter.
'He has driven the ball so beautifully, but last night I really enjoyed the field Stokes operated with by leaving mid-off completely open. He had a square extra cover and tempted Rahul to drive straighter."
'England have the option of going short to him for some time, like India did to Jamie Smith. Maybe that gets him out of his comfort zone and his shell, and he might make a mistake. I think England will be a little bit flat. It didn't quite happen for them."
'A few balls went up, but not in a particularly threatening way. Carse was superb, setting the tone in the first 45 minutes, but they probably needed two or three wickets to break the game open. India never got away, but England need to strike after lunch," he concluded.
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