During an IPL match for Lucknow Super Giants against Royal Challengers Bangalore on May 1, Rahul endured a severe injury where he mentioned that his “tendon was ripped apart.” This injury demanded surgical intervention and had a profound impact on both his physical and mental well-being, as he personally attested.
However, since his return in the Asia Cup last month, Rahul has showcased his prowess both as a batsman and a wicket-keeper. Reflecting on the challenging phase that significantly tested him, he perceives it as a period that contributed to his personal growth, making him a more resilient individual.
“Yes, I am a little sad about that. Whoever has an injury, if you ask anyone – they undergo surgery and to come back, it takes a lot of hard work, a lot of patience and you have to go through that which is not very easy.
“I can’t say that (injury) is not in my mind. Yesterday when I came to the ground, my last memory of this ground is that – falling down and injuring myself. Hopefully I can put that aside and I can make some better and happier memories to forget all of that,” he said ahead of the England game here on Sunday.
Before his injury, Rahul faced a considerable amount of criticism for his batting performance. Despite this, the team management consistently showed unwavering faith in him. In his return, he has substantiated that trust through his commendable performances with the bat and as a wicketkeeper.
While his batting abilities were never in doubt, the focus and dedication he directed toward enhancing his wicket-keeping skills during the rehabilitation phase have proven fruitful.
This was particularly evident in his remarkable diving catch down the leg side to dismiss Mehidy Hasan Miraz in Pune. The excellence of that catch stands as a tangible outcome of the hard work and commitment Rahul invested in improving his wicket-keeping skills during his recovery period.
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“During the process of getting fitter as well, I did focus a lot on wicket keeping along with my batting. The medical team at the NCA felt like – with the kind of injury I had, the difficult part would be wicket keeping more than the batting.
“The things that I’ve worked much harder on are my fitness and wicket-keeping. Then came batting so it was in that order. So, I did work a lot on my wicket-keeping there and yeah, even when I’ve come back here, I’ve spent a lot of time wicket-keeping. I feel like that requires a bit more time and effort from my side.
“It’s as simple as any other skill. The more you do, the harder you work on it, you have the best chance to do well and I am taking wicket-keeping seriously because in India, in these conditions, it will be important to have your technique right, to have your glove-work right.”
(With PTI inputs)