Watching Dravid, Williamson I realised I have certain gifts I can use to succeed in T20s: KL Rahul | Cricket News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Indian cricketer KL Rahul shared insights into his journey as a batter, highlighting the influence of observing Rahul Dravid and Kane Williamson‘s approach to limited-overs cricket.
Rahul admitted that he initially tried to force a power-hitting style that wasn’t natural to his game.
“I think I grew as an individual and as a player. As a youngster, I tried really hard to be someone I wasn’t, trying to hit big sixes to prove I could,” Rahul said in an exclusive interview on Star Sports.
He found a turning point in watching Dravid’s success in the Indian Premier League (IPL) while sticking to his classical technique.
“It just wasn’t coming naturally. What changed for me was watching Rahul Dravid in one of the IPL seasons around 2011 or 2012. He stayed true to his technique, and he was one of the best batsmen. Seeing him do well in one-day and T20 cricket without changing his game changed something in me,” he added.
Rahul, who has played across all three formats for India, also shared a dressing room with Williamson during his time with Sunrisers Hyderabad.
He observed that both Dravid and Williamson thrived in T20 cricket without compromising their inherent styles.
“I also spent time with Kane Williamson at SRH. He didn’t get many chances, but he’d still go back and play amazing white-ball innings for New Zealand.
“Watching Dravid and Williamson, I realized I didn’t need to try so hard. I had certain gifts I could use in T20 cricket to find success.”
Rahul’s IPL journey began with Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 2013, followed by a stint with Sunrisers Hyderabad before returning to RCB.
He credits the guidance of Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers during his second spell at RCB for boosting his confidence.
“Once I embraced that mindset, things clicked for me. In the 2016 IPL, I had Virat and AB’s guidance-the best T20 players around. Just talking to them at training about my game made a difference. Once the performances started coming, the confidence followed.”
In the 2018 IPL, while playing for Kings XI Punjab, Rahul achieved a remarkable feat by smashing a half-century off just 14 deliveries.
He attributes this success to his form and confidence stemming from his recent performances in T20 internationals for India.
“I had just debuted in T20Is for India and scored that 100 in Miami against the West Indies, so I had some recent T20 runs and confidence behind me. It was a new franchise, and I was excited, especially after the high price tag they paid, which I hadn’t expected.”
Rahul acknowledged the pressure that came with the hefty price tag but emphasized that his clear mindset and freedom to play his natural game were key to his success in the 2018 season.
“That season came with pressure, being a new team and all, but my mind was clear at that time. I was confident in my game, knew what I had to do, and kept it simple. 2018 was probably the best T20 year for me.
“Expectations were mostly from Kings XI Punjab due to the high price tag, but beyond that, I was free to play my game, without feeling like I had to take responsibility. That allowed me to play with freedom, and while it was a great year personally, as a team, we struggled.”
Following his captaincy stint with Lucknow Super Giants, Rahul was released by the franchise.
He is anticipated to be a sought-after player in the upcoming IPL mega auction.