I had nightmares, kept wondering if my skills would remain when I return – KL Rahul

Covid-19 had put the sporting world to a standstill. It is never easy for the world-class players to get going after a long hiatus as they haven’t been able to train in the recent past. The regular training sessions helps a player in ticking the right boxes whereas a long gap of almost four months is difficult.

It is natural to note that the players would be rusty when they get back to action and the same has been noticed. India’s flamboyant batsman KL Rahul has admitted that he had nightmares and he kept wondering if his skills would remain the same when he would return back to training.

Rahul had been in sublime form before the coronavirus pandemic hit the world. The stylish batsman had scored 224 runs in five T20Is against New Zealand and thus he was awarded the Player of the series. The right-hander also scored 201 runs in three-match ODI series against the Kiwis.

However, as Rahul spent a lot of time at his home due to the lockdown, it was understandable that he was rusty when he got back to training.

KL Rahul said while talking to Times of India, “I was scared,” he admitted. “I kept wondering if my skills would remain the same when I returned to the sport. I had nightmares. A couple of times I woke up in the middle of the night because I dreamt I had forgotten how to pick the line and length. It scared the hell out of me. To be honest, when I went back to play the first session, it was horrible because I was rusty.”

Meanwhile, Rahul has cemented his place in the limited-overs side as the first-choice wicket-keeper batsman. Rahul was given a chance to keep the wickets against Australia after Rishabh Pant was hit on the head and since then he has grabbed his opportunity with both hands.

On the other hand, Rahul has been a consistent performer in the IPL. The flamboyant batsman has scored 1977 runs in 67 IPL matches at an impressive average of 42.06 and a whirlwind strike rate of 138.16. Thus, the right-hander will look to keep his good form going in the IPL.

The Karnataka batsman will also lead Kings XI Punjab for the first time and will work under Anil Kumble, who is going to be the coach. The IPL is all set to begin from September 19 in the UAE, with Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah to host all the matches.