'I picked it up from one of the guys I worked with in Salzburg, Austria. I had the opportunity to go there and work with some of the coaches who work with elite F1 drivers and other high-performance athletes in adventure sports. That work on the mental side of the game helped me a lot'
KL Rahul loves batting at the top of the order, and after scoring his second hundred of the series, the classy Indian opener revealed the work he has done to improve his reaction time — with help from coaches in Formula 1.
Rahul has arguably looked the most assured batter of the series so far. His ability to leave the ball well and play late has helped him excel in English conditions.
Having moved up and down the order over the years, he is now pleased to be batting in his preferred position for the foreseeable future.
“In the last year or so — or in the last couple of years — I’ve worked on a few mental drills. I spent some time with an expert who helps improve reaction time. There are mental drills and games that help with that kind of thing,” Rahul said.
“I’ve seen this used a lot in Formula One. I picked it up from one of the guys I worked with in Salzburg, Austria. I had the opportunity to go there and work with some of the coaches who work with elite F1 drivers and other high-performance athletes in adventure sports. That work on the mental side of the game helped me a lot."
“So I’ve worked on that, and I guess that’s the only major difference in the past year or so.”
Saturday’s century wasn’t as fluent as his previous effort in Leeds, primarily due to the slower pitch at Lord’s — but Rahul adjusted accordingly.
“I’ve always enjoyed batting for long periods — even when I was growing up and playing junior cricket. I could focus for long hours, and I enjoyed that challenge,” he said.
“That foundation, combined with the mental work I’ve done recently, has helped me in the last few years. Consistency is something I’ve strived for my entire career, and I’m happy that the performances are finally coming through.”
Rahul was visibly disappointed to get out soon after reaching his century at the iconic venue. Wickets on either side of lunch dented India’s momentum — including a run-out involving Rishabh Pant just as Rahul was nearing the milestone.
“Obviously, that wasn’t ideal. There had been a conversation a couple of overs earlier — I told him I would try to get to 100 before lunch,” Rahul explained.
“With Bashir bowling the last over before lunch, I thought it was a good chance, but I hit the ball straight to the fielder — one I could’ve put away for four. Then Pant tried to rotate the strike and get me back on strike. But that run-out shouldn’t have happened. It really changed the momentum. It was disappointing for both of us.”
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