Experience of mistakes made will come in handy: KL Rahul

India captain KL Rahul, right, Virat Kohli, center and team coach Rahul Dravid talking after winning the 2nd cricket test match against Bangladesh, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Sunday, Dec. 25, 2022 | Photo Credit: AP

India may have cleaned up their dust in the two-match Test series, but the result will not cover all the cracks. Two of India’s biggest batsmen Virat Kohli and KL Rahul failed to score runs ahead of the four-match Test series against Australia in February-March.

In 36 innings since his last Test century against Bangladesh in Kolkata in November 2019, Kohli averages 26.20 with just six fifties. Stand-in captain Rahul hasn’t crossed 25 in seven consecutive innings.

But is it wise for out-of-form batsmen to try to find their form in high-stakes Test matches?

“Obviously we don’t go into the game thinking of what we might have done before or what could happen next,” Rahul said on Sunday. “You want to give it your best. Sometimes it doesn’t. I’ve seen the ups and downs and I know neither one lasts very long.”

“When you are playing all three formats, it is difficult to jump from one to the other. Personally, I haven’t played Test cricket for a while and it takes time to get into the rhythm.

“Performance in this series has not been great. I can accept that. I tried my best but it didn’t work out. But I always look ahead and see what I can do better.

Of particular concern is the Indian batsmen’s trouble with countering spin, an art once thought to be part of their muscle memory.

Rahul said, “Whatever the situation be it seaming or turn, the batsman will be out.” “If it’s a pattern, you’ll work with your coaches and see where things went wrong.”

He said, ‘We have four important Tests to play against Australia and spin will help. Australia will be ready. They will study the conditions, the pitches.

“Preparation and hard work is in our hands. [But] You’ll never be perfect. Even if we play only spin in the next one month, it does not guarantee a hundred in every match. You just prepare with the right mindset. The mistakes we have made here, the experiences we have gained will be useful to us.

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