"He was caught up with the way to play Test cricket" - Dinesh Karthik explains how KL Rahul transitioned into an improved Test opener

Cricketer and analyst Dinesh Karthik has explained the reasons behind Indian opener KL Rahul's newfound success in red-ball cricket.

Karthik said Rahul used to be too aggressive in domestic cricket which made his transition to Test level difficult. The wicketkeeper-batter asserted that Rahul has burnished his technique and temperament to suit the needs of the longest format and, after gaining some confidence, has become a much-improved player.

Karthik's observations came in an interaction with Cricbuzz after Rahul led India's charge on Day 1 of the first Test against South Africa in pacy conditions in Centurion. The vice-captain notched a masterful, unbeaten 248-ball 122, becoming only the second Indian opener to score a century in the Rainbow nation. Karthik said:

"The one thing that KL was caught up with was the way to play Test cricket because when he used to play domestic cricket he used to hit a lot of sixes to fast-bowlers over covers, over long-on, these sort of shots. So when he brought that to the table in Test match cricket, obviously it wasn't that easy to consistently keep doing that to bowlers who bowled 140, 145+, and the odd time that you do get out playing a big shot it doesn't look good as an opener."

Karthik added:

"He's changed a few things technically like the way he stands, his position of hands, these sort of small things that he has worked on and got better at it and that has given him the confidence to go out there... The way he handled the second new ball was brilliant. The way he was leaving the ball, how late he's playing it. He's generally someone who goes for a cover drive and the uppercut a lot but now you can see he's waiting on the cover drive, allowing the ball to come to him which in turn is getting him into good positions to play the right shots."

Despite being a sure starter in white-ball cricket, Rahul wasn't a big part of India's Test plans until the tour of England earlier this year. Both Shubman Gill and Mayank Agarwal were injured in that series, allowing Rahul a wildcard entry as an opener. He impressed one and all, with his rise culminating on Sunday.

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"Great to see Mayank and KL grabbing the opportunity with both hands" - Dinesh Karthik

Rahul and Mayank (60 off 123) gave India a brilliant 117-run foundation, which the rest of the batters built upon to end the first day at 272-3. Karthik further expressed his delight at Rahul and Mayank's emergence from a "musical chairs" game and the glut of opening batters now available in Indian cricket. Karthik said:

"It was a bit of a case of musical chairs there because there have been openers doing phenomenally well for India... It's great to see both these boys, very good friends off the field as well, coming from the same state of Karnataka. And for the first time two guys from Karnataka have got a hundred run start [in international cricket] as well."

He added:

"Things look really ominous [from] India at the moment. There's openers galore. In the shed there's Priyank Panchal, we have Prithvi Shaw doing well and Abhimanyu Easwaran. It's great to see Mayank and KL grabbing the opportunity with both hands."

If Rahul, alongside an ominous-looking Ajinkya Rahane (40 off 81), can get through the first hour of play against the new ball unblemished, India might be able to set a 500-plus first-innings total. Live-action will resume at 1:30 PM IST.