Calm KL Rahul excels with his adaptability as finisher, achieves desired success at Champions Trophy

Oscillatory motion is characterized by the repetitive back-and-forth movement of an object about a fixed point, as exemplified by a clock pendulum.

- AGENCIES

In a competition to find the most oscillatory player in the Indian team, KL Rahul would end up as the unanimous choice.

Rahul's masterful cover drives and effortless flicks off his wrists, when at his best, are simply poetry in motion. But it isn't easy being Rahul - the ups and downs in his batting positions have been challenging, similar to a pendulum's back-and-forth movement.

Rahul's success in finishing matches for India during their 2025 Champions Trophy triumph exemplifies this. Rahul faced a new ODI challenge when he was moved to the sixth spot, the finisher's position after Axar Patel took his usual number five slot. Add to it, in the ODI series against England, there were always questions over why Rahul was preferred ahead of Rishabh Pant.

Rahul's success in that role for India in the Champions Trophy was marked by his calm, humble, and proactive adaptability—qualities that have become second nature to him. While his 136 tournament runs may seem insignificant, they don't tell the whole story of his vital role in India's lower middle order.

"He didn't complain whenever he was sent down the batting order. He used to ask me how I could be better and why should I play in that way. See, whenever he goes to bat at number six, or seven, it is hardly a few balls. He has always opened the batting, wherever he played."