While at one end Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli failed to deliver against the mighty Aussies, the T20 World champions, India will be happy to see KL Rahul find back his mojo. And he did in some style.
And even though he had scored a fifty against Afghanistan in India’s last match in the Asia Cup – in a dead rubber against an exhausted bowling attack that had played a game the previous day – KL Rahul will be much more satisfied with his knock today.
There had been questions and criticism toward KL Rahul regarding his strike rate – questions which he’d tackled gracefully in the pre-series press conference on Monday. Then, on Tuesday, he answers those with the bat in Mohali, creaming 55 runs off 35 balls with the help of 4 fours and 3 sixes.
KL Rahul was in full flow today

After facing just 4 balls for 3 runs, KL Rahul stepped out to the ever-immaculate Josh Hazlewood and smoked him over mid-wicket for a thumping six to dazzle the crowd and the fans. And even as skipper Rohit Sharma got out in that over, KL Rahul didn’t abstain from playing his shots.
In the next over, he sliced Adam Zampa over point with an inside-out shot before seeing Kohli get out, but Suryakumar Yadav took on the tempo with a couple of hits to the fence off Cummins.
After settling down, being 25 off 17 balls, Rahul began to play aggressively and took down Australia’s weak links in the bowling attack, Cameron Green -with a six over backward square leg and a four over cover- and Glenn Maxwell – a slog over mid-wicket.
KL Rahul brought up his fifty off 32 balls with a nice, rousing ovation from the Mohali crowd and the Indian team, signalling his return to his best. He departed soon, though, mistiming a whip to a knuckleball from Hazlewood and Ellis took the catch in the deep on the leg side.
Here are the reactions of fans on Twitter to KL Rahul’s terrific half-century:
Dear KL, if you can play like THIS, why do you play like THAT?
— Abhishek Mukherjee (@ovshake42) September 20, 2022
Josh Hazlewood’s reaction on KL Rahul’s six. pic.twitter.com/ydrJvgDI63
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) September 20, 2022
KL Rahul before this INDvAUS Series:
“Strike-rate is something I am working on. The goals have been defined to each player in the last 10-12 months. I am just working towards how I can better myself as an opening batter.”
He is certainly batting with an improved intent today!
— Prasenjit Dey (@CricPrasen) September 20, 2022
That was normal KL Rahul but man has batted so unlike him that everyone is happily shocked after this knock.
— Silly Point (@FarziCricketer) September 20, 2022
KL Rahul walking in front of who are talking about his strike rate! pic.twitter.com/DR9mvd5SVb
— ಭಲೇ ಬಸವ (@Basavachethanah) September 20, 2022
SR 157.14. Enough to keep the naysayers at bay for a bit longer.
KL Rahul can be unstoppable when he gets into the mood. The question to ask is if he gets into the mood often enough?! #IndvAus
— Chetan Narula (@chetannarula) September 20, 2022
Can’t wait for all the “KL Rahul making runs in a meaningless bilateral series” tweets.#INDvsAUS
— Akash Kumar Jha (@Akashkumarjha14) September 20, 2022
KL Rahul never disappoints in bilaterals! 💥🥵#INDvAUS #CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/BTGwYnECY2
— Duke 🥂 (@DukeForPM7) September 20, 2022
BCCI announced T20 world cup team*
KL Rahul and Sanju Samson : pic.twitter.com/BujHn9Hu69— Anoop 🇮🇳 (@ianooop) September 12, 2022
KL Rahul is back in form with new jersey: pic.twitter.com/mhnfbUFIpL
— Kartik🔥 (@KaiseAanaHuaaa) September 20, 2022
KL Rahul to his haters today: #INDvsAUS pic.twitter.com/heZWaWVQuB
— A (@AppeFizzz) September 20, 2022