KL Rahul is giving a masterclass on how to bat in English conditions: Nasser Hussain

Heading into the game as the most senior batter of a side in transition, KL Rahul has so far lived up to expectations. His partnership with Yashasvi Jaiswal on the opening day under overcast conditions and a grassy surface helped India to start the game and series on a solid note. 

Rahul was guilty of wasting a start in the first innings, edging a lazy drive to slip after having dug in for a 78-ball 42 but in the second essay, he has ensured to not repeat that mistake. With a slender lead of six in the first innings, India was rocked early by the dismissal of Jaiswal late on the third day but Rahul looked his composed self, hardly affected by the pressure created at the other end. 

Former England captain Nasser Hussain was profuse in his praise for Rahul and felt that his uncomplicated old-school approach was the perfect method to bat in English conditions. 

"He (Rahul) is a very elegant player. Even when a ball goes past the edge, it doesn't faze him too much," said Hussain in an interview on Sky Sports alongside Dinesh Karthik and Stuart Broad.

"He has played beautifully. If you are going to ask someone to watch and learn how to bat in English conditions, he is giving you a masterclass on how to bat."

Rahul (72*), along with Rishabh Pant (31*), ensured a solid morning on the fourth day for the visitors who lost skipper Shubman Gill very early in the day. Pant had his share of luck and went through a fidgety period where he looked like he might get out at any moment. Rahul was seen having a word with the vice-captain occasionally,y and thereafter, the partnership steadily held their own till the break. 

Karthik termed the partnership as a combination of classical music at one end and hip-hop at the other. Hussain agreed with the jovial analogy but felt that the contrasting approaches worked as a combination for India during a testing phase. The point of concern, though, was the scoring rate as India added just 63 runs in the first session with a defensive approach on show - a throwback to the style of play seen previously in this match. 

"This partnership, DK summed it up nicely as classical music at one end and hip hop at the other. The hip hop in Rishabh Pant, he sort of toned it down later. He went through a phase there just before drinks when he had to have a word with himself. Since then, he has grown into his innings and batted with his relatively sensible head on. Rahul has his relatively sensible head on for a really long time."

Broad felt that England would be feeling 'flat' at the lunch break, having picked up just a solitary wicket in the morning session. While Gill's breakthrough in the first 30 minutes spurred the team on, there was little on show thereafter. Broad felt that the hosts will need a real kick up in the next session to claw their way back into the game. 

"They will be a little flat to be honest. Didn't quite work for them, did it? A few balls went up but not in a threatening way. I thought Brydon Carse was superb in setting the tone in the first 45 minutes but they need two or three wickets in that session to break the game open."

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