‘Accept it and try to learn from your mistakes’: Rahul explains why failure in T20Is didn’t impact his confidence

Indian batsman KL Rahul said he might have registered low scores in the T20I series against England but it never impacted his confidence.

After a series of failures with the bat, batsman KL Rahul returned among runs in the first ODI against England on Tuesday. He scored an unbeaten 43-ball 62 to guide India's score past the 300-run mark.

India's KL Rahul (REUTERS)

The innings was a much-needed boost for Rahul, especially after a tough T20I rubber where he managed the scores of 1, 0, 0, and 14, before getting benched for the fifth and the final T20I which India won by 36 runs to clinch the series 3-2.

He came back strong in the 50-over format and helped India win the first game by 66 runs with a terrific knock. Ahead of the 2nd match, Rahul spoke about his comeback, stating that it wasn’t an issue of self-belief.

While addressing a pre-match virtual presser on Thursday, the Karnataka cricketer said he might have registered low scores in the T20I series against England but it never impacted his confidence.

“It was never an issue of confidence and self-belief. Like I said, sometimes it's the sport, you try everything that is possible and which is in your control, still, it does not go your way. So you accept it and try to learn from the mistakes you have done. I was always confident, I knew in the nets and the practice sessions, I was batting well.

“If I am preparing well and I am hitting the ball well, my mind is in the right place. Most of the things were going well, just the number chart was not going my way, which is disappointing. When I open the batting, the team looks up to the openers to give them a solid start and score runs, but it never impacted my confidence,” said KL Rahul at the presser, as quoted by ANI.

“I was not too stressed, as a player, you are disappointed. Sitting on the bench for a while, I did not play for 3-3.5 months so I was really excited about playing the white-ball series. Every player in the team wants to do well, sometimes it does not happen, you have to accept it.

“When things were going right, I did not question my process so I did not want to sit back and overthink after four-five bad performances, I was doing most things right which was in my control,” he added.

Team India is currently leading the series 1-0. The hosts will square off against England in the 2nd ODI on Friday in Pune.