KL Rahul Motivates Young Cricketers Ahead of ODI Against New Zealand
Inspiration for Young Cricketers
Vadodara (Gujarat) [India], January 13: As India prepares for the second ODI against New Zealand on Wednesday, wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul took the opportunity to inspire young cricketers during a training session in Vadodara.
In a video shared on the Indian cricket team's Instagram, Rahul emphasized, “Opportunities will come; you might find yourself waiting for 2-3 years. If you don’t get a chance at the state level, other tournaments will arise where you can showcase your skills and talent.”
He further advised, “It’s essential to keep improving yourself and stay prepared. When the opportunity arises, you must perform in a way that ensures you remain in the team. Enjoying the journey is crucial; that’s the only option available to a player.”
When questioned about how top players navigate challenging times, Rahul acknowledged, “Everyone faces tough phases; no player is exempt from this. It’s unrealistic to expect to always be at the top. Frustration and anger are natural, but it’s vital to overcome those feelings. I will do my best, and when the opportunity comes, I will seize it.”
In the first ODI, India secured a four-wicket victory over New Zealand, taking a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. Key contributions came from captain Shubman Gill (56), Virat Kohli (93), Shreyas Iyer (49), and lower-order support from KL Rahul (29) and all-rounder Harshit Rana (29), helping India chase down a challenging target of 301 runs.
On the bowling front, Harshit Rana, Washington Sundar, and Mohammed Siraj each took two wickets, limiting New Zealand to 300/8, despite a solid 117-run partnership between Henry Nicholls and Devon Conway.
Squads:
India Squad: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill(c), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Ravindra Jadeja, KL Rahul(w), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Arshdeep Singh, Ayush Badoni, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel.
New Zealand Squad: Devon Conway, Henry Nicholls, Will Young, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Hay(w), Michael Bracewell(c), Zakary Foulkes, Kristian Clarke, Kyle Jamieson, Adithya Ashok, Jayden Lennox, Nick Kelly, Josh Clarkson, Michael Rae.