KL Rahul summed up India’s win at The Oval on Monday aptly. For the future of Indian Test cricket, Rahul said this win “will rank right at the top”.
A relentless India fought tooth and nail to steal a 6-run win in the fifth and final Test of the five-match series and share the honours 2-2.
Rahul was asked where he would rank this victory. The 33-year-old replied: “We have seen India lift the World Cup... I mean nothing compares to lifting the World Cup. But so many doubts, so many questions from everybody about whether Test cricket will stay or not. I think both the teams, and the way we’ve played in this series, I think we’ve answered that question.
“For us as a team, that wasn’t given a chance in this series... For us to fight back and to fight in every game and to get a result which is 2-2 might seem like a drop. But for us and for Indian Test cricket, going in the future, I think this will rank right at the top.”
Rahul, who finished the series with 532 runs from 10 innings, said the Indian team will go on to win a lot more series “outside of India and the whole team deserves it.”
The right-handed batter showered praise on young captain Shubman Gill.
“Shubman’s been phenomenal. I think he’s really led from the front. He’s worked really hard on the boys behind the scenes as well... In forming connections, which a lot of people don’t see.
“He’s been tactically really good. The changes he’s made over the series have always got us the wickets somehow. And I think he will grow. He will grow on to be a really, really good Test captain.
“I can’t speak too much about his individual performance because I think he’s already shown the world what he can do in all three formats. And especially this series, the way he batted.
“He’s here to stay as a leader and he will take this Indian Test team to greater heights.”
Stokes praise
England captain Ben Stokes tried to focus on the positives after his team’s agonising loss.
Stokes, who did not play in the match due to injury, watched on as the hosts
collapsed from 301/3 to 367 all out to give India a share of the series.
“Credit both teams. The amount of effort from both teams to end up here 2-2 is incredible,” he told reporters. “The heart and passion and everything that was shown, especially in our second bowling innings, I thought was outstanding.”
Stokes, who scored a century and completed a five-wicket haul in the drawn fourth Test against India, said England had been well on top at various times in the final game under the captaincy of Ollie Pope.
He felt the loss of Chris Woakes to a shoulder injury on the first day had been a crucial factor.
“Losing Woakesy early on in the game changed the whole responsibility on the bowlers in particular, the roles they were selected for,” Stokes said.
“But you can look back on a Test match that goes five days and pick out loads of moments as to why (you lost). For us, to come out here to try and chase that total
down in the way that we did was outstanding.”
(With inputs from Reuters)
