Back in business: Time for Rahul to rediscover A game post timeout

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: It is hard to imagine the place KL Rahul finds himself in. Set to return to competitive cricket representing India A against England Lions on Sunday after the CoA provisionally lifted his suspension, he has spent two weeks away from the noise. There is a feeling in sections of the BCCI that his only mistake was his presence alongside Hardik Pandya, who made crass comments on a TV show.

Irrespective of that, Rahul has missed the series against Australia and New Zealand when the World Cup is on the horizon. It is a crucial period not just for him, but also for a team looking for a third opener after Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan. Whether Rahul would have got game time in New Zealand is another story. Who knows, maybe he would have been the choice when Virat Kohli returns home after the third ODI.

In hindsight, one good thing for Rahul is probably the time he has been away from the team. For a player who looked out of sorts, a break can be precious. Of course, this fracas was unwanted, but the time he got might help the right-hander. Two weeks have given him an opportunity to begin from scratch and analyse what is working and what is not.

Rahul has got a perfect launch pad to come back. He will open against England Lions with Ajinkya Rahane — his competitor for the third opener’s slot — and get to spend quality time with Rahul Dravid, who has mentored him since he was a junior cricketer.

“India A will be of great help because what he needs now is game time,” felt J Arun Kumar, former Karnataka coach who has seen Rahul from close. “He didn’t make runs not because he is not a good batsman. He was out of form. He won’t have pressure here and that will allow him to play freely. His hands and feet will start moving and the flow will be back. Moreover, he has Rahul who will get his seriousness back. He is someone he has always looked up to.”

In these two weeks, friends, family members and coaches have ensured that Rahul hasn’t spent his time alone. Some of them have reminded him how good he is and spoken about the good knocks he has played. “You just need to be in a positive space. He isn’t someone who allows negative thoughts. Once he starts getting the runs, he would feel comfortable. It isn’t easy to keep playing international cricket and expect to retain the form 365 days. It takes a toll and sometimes breaks like this help. When out of form, matches like these help in getting the confidence back,” Arun said.