KL Rahul addresses chatter about his below-40 Test average after hitting new purple patch: '…not that I don't see it'

KL Rahul opened up on criticism of his Test average, saying he prioritises enjoying cricket and focusing on his game plans over stats.

Senior Indian batter KL Rahul addressed the discussions surrounding his Test average, which has been under the microscope in recent years. After playing 63 Tests for India, Rahul's batting average is still under 40 - 35.41, which many suggest doesn't justify the talent he possesses. He has often done well for India in the overseas tours, but in the home conditions, his numbers haven't been up to the mark. The Frequent changes in his batting position affected his numbers in recent years, but Rahul has now returned to the opening spot where he began his Test career.

KL Rahul has hit a new purple patch in Test cricket.(AP)

The return as opener has helped him enter a new purple patch in his career after assuming the role of India’s senior-most player in the Test setup following the retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.

Rahul produced the best series of his career on the England tour, amassing 532 runs in 10 innings at an average of 53.20, including two centuries and two fifties, with a highest score of 137. He carried that momentum into the ongoing Test series against the West Indies, scoring a fine century in the first innings at the Narendra Modi Stadium.

Rahul opened up on his approach to criticism over his Test numbers, emphasising that he prioritises enjoying his cricket and executing his game plans over focusing solely on statistics. He believes that when his processes are right, the runs and numbers will naturally follow.

"I don't let it bother me but it's not that I don't see it. Obviously I see it and ideally any batter would want their numbers to be as high as it can be. But right now it's more important for me to make sure my game plans are tight and that I am enjoying my cricket. Those are the boxes I want to tick more than thinking about numbers. There is enough sample size also for me to see that when I do these things well, automatically I start getting more runs and the numbers will go higher as well," Rahul said on JioHotstar.

“I try and focus on the simpler things”: KL Rahul

The 33-year-old shared his mindset on handling expectations and pressure, explaining that he focuses on the basics he can control and takes things step by step, leaving the rest to fate, rather than getting overwhelmed by numbers and outside expectations.

"So it's important to take it step by step and not go to step 3 first and forget the first two steps. But there is obviously expectations and pressure of numbers. And there is so much being spoken about it as cricket is a numbers game at the end of the day. But I try and focus on the simpler things that I can control as much as I can and then leave the rest up to God," he added.