Dateline: New Delhi | 19 July 2025
Lead
Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has credited a subtle front‑foot and stance adjustment for KL Rahul’s prolific run of scores against England this series, where the opener has already piled up 375 runs in three Tests with two centuries and a half‑century, placing him among the leading run‑getters.
Rahul’s Run Surge This Series
Rahul’s 375 runs have come in six innings, showcasing renewed solidity and conversion—two hundreds and one fifty anchoring India’s top order during an otherwise fluctuating batting campaign.
The Technical Tweak
Shastri outlined that Rahul has “slightly opened up” his front foot in his stance and while defending, reducing the tendency to overbalance across the crease and fall over the front pad—an issue that earlier produced bowled or leg‑before dismissals.
How the Change Works (Analysis)
By opening the front foot a fraction, Rahul creates a clearer downswing path so “the full face of the bat” presents even on on‑side scoring strokes; this keeps his head stable, improves alignment to late seam movement, and delays the closing of the blade—mechanics consistent with what Shastri described. (Analytical inference based on Shastri’s description of an opened stance and cleaner bat path.)
Silencing Earlier Criticism
Shastri reiterated that nobody doubted Rahul’s talent; frustration centred on intermittent returns relative to ability—sentiment he now believes Rahul is dispelling through disciplined execution of the revised method.
Prime Years and Forward Projection
Labeling Rahul “at his prime,” Shastri projected a cluster of hundreds over the next three to four years and even a push of the Test average towards 50 if this consistency continues.
Historic Benchmark in England
Rahul’s tally of four Test hundreds in England now stands joint second for India—behind only Rahul Dravid’s six—highlighting his particular effectiveness in challenging away conditions.
Career Snapshot
At 33, Rahul has 3,632 Test runs from 61 matches at an average a shade above 35, with 10 centuries and 18 fifties—figures several observers note understate his ceiling given the proportion of overseas hundreds.
Context: India’s Series Situation
India trail 2–1 heading into the fourth Test at Old Trafford (Manchester) starting 23 July, intensifying the importance of Rahul’s form to stabilize the top order and keep World Test Championship ambitions on track.
Risk Management & Shot Selection
Observable this series is Rahul’s restraint early: leaving balls in the channel, playing later under the eyes, and transferring weight decisively only when length is overpitched—patterns aligned with a refined base stance that reduces pre‑delivery fidgeting and mitigates LBW risk. (Analytical inference supported by sources citing stance change and reduced dismissals via falling over.)
Mental Reset and Maturity
Commentary around Rahul has also shifted toward mental composure—Shastri and other analysts highlighting clearer decision‑making and acceptance of conditions, indicative of a senior professional leveraging experience rather than chasing tempo.
What to Watch at Old Trafford
Old Trafford historically offers movement early and bounce later; maintaining the opened stance while keeping a tight off‑stump judgment will be crucial for Rahul to extend the streak and potentially tilt momentum in India’s favour. (Analytical projection grounded in technical change and upcoming venue.)
Expert Verdict
Multiple outlets echo Shastri’s view that the modest mechanical refinement exemplifies elite cricket’s margins—small alignments producing disproportionate performance gains when paired with mental clarity.
Outlook
If Rahul sustains this method through the remainder of the series and into home fixtures, cumulative output could accelerate, validating forecasts of an average uplift and a late‑career purple patch redefining perceptions of his Test legacy.
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