World Cup 2023: It wasn’t the easiest of wickets to bat on – KL Rahul after match-winning knock against Australia

India’s wicket-keeper bat KL Rahul admitted it wasn’t the easiest of wickets to bat on after guiding the team to a six-wicket victory in their World Cup opener against Australia at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai on Sunday. Rahul joined forces with Virat Kohli with India tottering at 2-3 when they were chasing a below-par score of 200 runs.

However, the flamboyant batter was able to steady the ship with Virat Kohli after a storming opening spell from Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, in which Ishan Kishan, Rohit Sharma, and Shreyas Iyer were dismissed.

The track had enough for both seamers as well as the seamers but Kohli and Rahul made the most of their experience to get their team home. The duo added a fine alliance of 165 runs with Virat Kohli scoring 85 whereas Rahul stayed unbeaten at 97.

Ergo, India was able to kick off their World Cup campaign on a winning note and would want to carry on the good show.

KL Rahul was awarded the Player of the Match for his fine knock in the run-chase. He said after the game while talking to the host broadcaster, Star Sports, “Quite honestly not a lot of conversation, I thought I’d get a good shower and get a break. I was just trying to get my breath back. Virat said there’s a bit in the wicket, so play like Test cricket for a while. There was a bit of help for the pacers with the new ball, and then the spinners also. In the last 15-20 overs, dew played a part and that helped quite a bit.”

He continued, “The ball also skidded on better. However, it was a bit two-paced, it wasn’t the easiest of wickets to bat on and it wasn’t flat as well. It was a good cricket wicket, bit for the batters and the bowlers. That’s what you get in the south of India, especially Chennai. (On the last six) I hit it too well, I just calculated how to get to a 100 in the end. The only way was a four and a six, but no qualms on not getting to that hundred.”

Earlier, Indian bowlers were right on the money as Australia was skittled out for 199 runs. Ravindra Jadeja was the pick of the bowlers as he returned with figures of 3-28 whereas Kuldeep Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah bagged two wickets apiece.

India has got off to an ideal start and would want to carry the winning impetus against Afghanistan in their second game of the ODI showpiece, which will be played at Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi on Wednesday.