London [UK], August 4 : With India drawing a hard-fought series against England with the final fifth match providing a fitting finale, Indian opener KL Rahul said that the fine quality of cricket played by both sides has answered questions about whether Test cricket will be around or not.
Rahul had his finest series as a Test batter, sealing his reputation as a trustworthy warrior at the top in overseas conditions, as his consistent performances helped Team India seal a series draw against England, drawing the series 2-2.
In the final Test at The Oval, inspirational bowling spells from Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna helped India seal a six-run win, denying England a series win as they fell six runs short. Throughout the series, KL played a crucial role in a set-up, which did not have legends like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Ravichandran Ashwin, serving not only as a model of consistency, but also a link between the experienced and up-and-coming players.
Speaking after the match in the post-match talk with the broadcasters, KL said, "It means absolutely everything. I have played cricket for a while. We won the Champions Trophy (this year). I have seen India lifting the World Cup (the T20 World Cup 2007 and 2024 and ODI WCs of 1983 and 2011), nothing compares to lifting the World Cup. But so many doubts, so many questions about whether Test cricket will stay or not. I think both the teams, with the way we have played the series, I guess have answered the question."
"For us as a team that was not given a chance in the series, for us to fight back and fight every game and get a result of 2-2... Might seem like a draw but for us and for Indian Test cricket going into the future, this will rank right at the top and this is where the change begins and the team will win a lot more series outside of India. The whole team deserves it," he added.
Speaking on skipper Shubman Gill, the top run-getter with 774 runs, including four centuries, KL hailed the leader as "phenomenal" and someone who "led from the front".
"He has worked really hard with the boys. He has been tactically really good. The changes he has made have always got us wickets somehow. He will grow further. He is here to stay as a leader and take this Indian Test team to great heights," he added.
The opener admitted that it hit him really hard and he felt "a bit weird" with Virat, Rohit and Ashwin not around, and everyone was coming to him for advice, and that is when he realised his changing role in the team.
"Once I joined the team, it hit me (Not having the senior players around). To look around and not see them (Rohit, Virat and Ashwin) felt a bit weird. Everyone came to me and asked me about conditions, and that is when it hit me that okay, I have stepped into a different role to help the younger guys and use all the experience and really put my hand up and stand up for this team," he said.
KL ended as the third-highest run-getter in the series, with 532 runs in 10 innings at an average of 53.20, with two centuries and two fifties. His best score was 137.
After England opted to bowl first, they reduced India to 153/6. A 58-run partnership between Karun Nair (57 in 109 balls, with eight fours) and Washington Sundar (26 in 55 balls, with three fours) was the most meaningful part of the inning as India was bundled out for 224 runs. Apart from Gus Atkinson's five-wicket haul, Josh Tongue (3/57) was also good.
In the second innings, four-fers from Siraj (4/86) and Prasidh Krishna (4/62) reduced England to 247, despite a 92-run opening stand between Zak Crawley (64 in 57 balls, with 14 fours) and Ben Duckett (43 in 38 balls, with five fours and two sixes) and a fifty by Harry Brook (53 in 64 balls, with five fours and a six). They led by 23 runs.
In India's second innings, key contributions came from Yashasvi Jaiswal (118 in 164 balls, with 14 fours and two sixes), Akash Deep (66 in 94 balls, with 12 fours), Ravindra Jadeja (53 in 77 balls, with five fours) and Washington Sundar (53 in 46 balls, with four boundaries and four sixes). Sundar stitched a very crucial 10th wicket stand with Krishna, with the latter scoring nothing out of it and Sundar doing all the hitting.
They all took India to 396 runs, giving them a 373-run lead and setting a target of 374 runs for England to win the series.
India started well, reducing England to 106/3. However, fine centuries from Harry Brook (111 in 98 balls, with 14 fours and two sixes) and Joe Root (105 in 152 balls, with 12 fours) troubled India with a 195-run stand for the fourth wicket. At one point, England was 317/4 on day four. However, a late surge by Siraj (5/104) and Krishna (4/126) shifted the pressure to England, and they were left six runs short, bundled out for 367 runs.
The series ended drawn 2-2, reflecting the true nature of how well-fought the series was. The Shubman Gill era has started with immense promise and fight, giving signs of a bright future.
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