IPL 2019: How a gritty KL Rahul showed maturity, found form and helped KXIP to a big win against MI

For the first time in this Indian Premier League season, crossing the line came without any controversies for Kings XI Punjab. Against Mumbai Indians on Saturday, they made a fighting target look simple and coasted to a eight-wicket win in Mohali without too much fuss.

And taking them past that finish line was a certain Kannaur Lokesh Rahul.

KXIP coach Mike Hesson had said on the sidelines during Mumbai’s innings that his side would be happy to chase 180 after, to the surprise of many, opting to bowl first in a afternoon match. For a good part of the Mumbai innings, it seemed like 180 was a bare minimum for them but then KXIP bowlers performed admirably to restrict Rohit Sharma’s team to 176/7 — right where Hesson wanted his team to be at the break.

And when the run-chase started, all eyes were on KL Rahul (from an Indian cricket point of view) to see how he goes about after two failures in the first two matches.

Laborious / Patient start

Rahul innings, as it turned out, was three different knocks rolled into one. When chasing a target close to 180, the batting powerplay is a crucial part but KXIP did not go berserk in the first six overs, despite Chris Gayle getting off to a quick start and not waiting too long before unleashing his sixes. That was partly because Rahul was taking his time at the other end. The duo played out 20 dot balls in the powerplay, with the scoreboard reading 38/0.

When Gayle departed in the eighth over, he had already made 40 off 24 balls, twice hitting back-to-back sixes during his brief cameo. Rahul, at the other end was struggling to get going, batting on 12 off 20 balls. But by then, it was clear that the Karnataka batsman was determined to fight it out in the middle — he did not waft around the off-stump (how he got out in the first match), hit just one boundary in the powerplay (not usual for him at all) and avoided playing the inside-out lofted drives (how he got out in the second match).

And then Mayank Agarwal walked in — a man in good form. And it showed, as he hit four boundaries in the first eight balls he faced and had already overtaken Rahul’s tally at the other end in no time.

Given that Agarwal was accelerating with such ease even outside the powerplay, made Rahul’s effort seem all the more laborious but what he had done was to give himself the time to settle down in the middle. It did not seem like it then, but with every passing minute he spent without getting dismissed was adding to his confidence.

Agarwal’s breezy innings (43 off 21 balls), meanwhile, had made sure the asking rate was well within KXIP reach despite Rahul taking his time. But by that time it was make or break: he had spent all the time on the pitch to get his eye in, now he could not afford to throw it away. How he finished from there would determine if the platform he had laid for himself was solid or signs that he was short of confidence. If he had been dismissed then, irrespective of whether Punjab won the match or not, it would have been a psychological blow for Rahul, who is evidently a player who thrives on confidence.

And when Agarwal was dismissed, Rahul stepped up and how. His first contribution in the third wicket partnership with David Miller was a six over backward point off Hardik Pandya, that signalled a shift in gears. From there, he did not look back. Even when the asking rate came down to the extent that he could play out Lasith Malinga and Jasprit Bumrah, Rahul decided to stamp his class, scoring a series of boundaries off both bowlers.

By the time he finished his innings, unbeaten on 77, Rahul had played three mini knocks within one. And that was more than enough to take his side to a comfortable home win. But more importantly, find himself among the runs once again.

First partnership: 53/1, Gayle 40 off 24 balls, Rahul 12 off 20 balls 

Second partnership: 117/2, Agarwal 43 off 21 balls, Rahul 18 off 16 balls (30 off 36) 

Third partnership: 177/2, Miller 15* off 10 balls, Rahul 41 off 21 balls (71* off 57)

— KL Rahul's innings progression

Ultimately, his long-time friend Agarwal walked away with the man-of-the-match award for a match-turning knock but Rahul’s return to form was the biggest positive for Punjab on the night. In the bigger picture, this innings could have gone either way for Rahul but he made sure, first with grit and determination and later with trademark style, that KXIP have their key player looking in good touch once again.