‘If I could have played till the end’ – KL Rahul reveals one decision he wishes to change with time-machine

KL Rahul. (Photo Source: Ashwin YT & Jio Cinema)

The date of November 19, 2023, will forever be registered in the minds of Indian cricket fans as a day of heartbreak and what-ifs. On that day at the grand Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, the Men in Blue fell short of their third World Cup triumph, losing to Australia by six wickets in the final.

KL Rahul, who top-scored for India with a gritty 66, recently opened up about his biggest regret from that fateful day. In a conversation with teammate Ravichandran Ashwin on the latter’s YouTube show ‘Kutti Stories,’ Rahul revealed the one decision he would like to correct if given a chance.

“If I could allow giving a time machine & review one decision to correct it all over again, what would it be?” Ashwin asked.

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I was stuck at the moment: KL Rahul

Rahul’s response was with a tinge of heartbreak, “The World Cup final against Australia, I was stuck at the moment, whether to take down Starc or just play him as it was reversing, bowling in tough angle,” Rahul revealed.

Rahul believed if he had played a longer inning, India would have won the World Cup, “In that confusion, I ended up nicking it if I could have played till the end, it could have been 30+ runs & probably World Cup in our hands, that is what I regret,” Rahul revealed.

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While skipper Rohit Sharma started brilliantly with a 31-ball 47, the middle-order struggled to come to terms with the nature of the pitch against Australia’s bowling attack. Though the fifties from Virat Kohli and KL Rahul took India to 240 in 50 overs, a match-winning Travis Head century (137) helped Australia win the match and their sixth World Cup title.

India won 10 matches on the trot, and most of them rather comprehensively, before eventually falling short against Australia when it mattered the most. The brand of cricket that India played during the tournament was impressive to see, but Pat Cummins and the team got the better of them on the day.