KL Rahul, India batter, talked about things changing at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, his home ground in Bengaluru, ahead of the first Test against New Zealand that begins on October 16, 2024.
With six consecutive Test triumphs, India now hopes to extend their winning streak against the Tom Latham-led New Zealand side, which will undoubtedly miss the services of star batter Kane Williamson.
This Test match, however, carries special significance for Indian batsman KL Rahul because it marks his return to the city where he first pursued his cricketing goals.
In an interview with BCCI TV, Rahul discussed his emotional attachment to the Bengaluru stadium, recalling a journey that began in his boyhood.
“Yeah, it's always special for me to come back here. This is where I grew up, played all my cricket. The first game I played here was when I was eleven and a half years old. I’m 32 now, so a lot has changed. But the feeling for me as an eleven-year-old boy who came here first time, played a game, that feeling for me hasn't changed. I still remember that feeling so many years later as well,” Rahul told BCCI.
Rahul described the overwhelming flood of memories that come rushing in whenever he steps onto the field at Chinnaswamy.
“From the time you leave the dressing room and walk to the middle, so many emotions hit you. It’s like a whole three-hour movie plays in your mind – from my early cricketing days at U13s, U15s, U19s, to Ranji Trophy and IPL matches, and finally, representing India internationally. It gives me goosebumps,” he added.
He also fondly reminisced about his time in the clubhouse canteen, where breakfast routines became a cherished tradition.
“From age-group cricket to Ranji Trophy, we’d have breakfast at the canteen, finish training, and return for lunch. I haven't been there in the last year or so. I don't know if that place has changed now. But it used to be really delicious and our morning started really good with dosa and coffee,” Rahul stated.
Rahul, who made his Test debut against Australia in 2014, has garnered 2969 runs in 52 Tests, averaging 34.52. In 2024, he has featured in four Tests, scoring 222 runs at an average of 44.40, with two fifties.
