'Play Like It's Test Cricket' - Kohli's Prudent Advice To KL Rahul

image-lnid0kw5KL Rahul and Virat Kohli [Twitter]

As India endured a horror start to their tricky run-chase of Australia's 199 all out in the tournament hosts' ICC World Cup 2023 opener in Chennai, Virat Kohli brought his experience into play and shared a prudent word of advice with KL Rahul on Sunday (October 8). 

With Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer and Rohit Sharma falling to the Australian quicks in the first two overs and score reading 2 for 3, Kohli recognised Rahul would be anxious and vulnerable walking into the chaotic phase and told his younger teammate to bide his time in the middle before breaking the shackles. 

Rahul revealed Kohli told him to treat the situation like "it's Test cricket" and focus on building a partnership, which the two limited-overs giants did brilliantly under immense pressure for a match-winning 165-run fourth-wicket stand on a tough pitch.

While Kohli applied his powers of concentration and gradually shifted the heat back on Australia through his magnificent 85, Rahul continued his heartening rise as a middle-order player and perhaps outperformed even the legend at the other end for an unbeaten 97 to propel India through. 

'Play Proper Shots, Play Like It's Test Cricket' 

Speaking to the broadcasters after India's eight-wicket triumph to kickstart the World Cup, Rahul unveiled the word of advice from Kohli, who brought his expertise to another successful run-chase by not just excelling at his end but making sure his partner could dampen the opposition spirits equally. 

"Virat said there's big help in the wicket, and [we] just have to play proper shots and play like it's Test cricket for some time and see where it goes. That was mostly the plan, and happy that we could do the job for the team," Rahul said after receiving the 'Player of the Match' trophy. 

The Indian No.5, who batted with great assurance and solidity on a challenging surface, said not until the dew came in for the final 10-15 overs of his team's run-chase did the pitch ease up a bit for batting. 

As evident in both innings, the track in Chennai offered just enough late movement and uneven bounce for the seamers with the new ball and turned sharply for spinners later on. 

"There was a bit of help for the fast bowlers with the new ball when we bowled. And later on the spinners came in and they had a lot help from the wicket," Rahul said. 

"But I think towards the end - in the last 15-20 overs - the dew played a bit of a part for them; while they were bowling, they changed the ball as well. Once that happened, it did come on a little better."

After a tricky win against the Aussies, India will next face Afghanistan in Delhi on October 11.