Abhishek Nayar Highlights KL Rahul's Earlier Struggles To Maximise His Potential For Team India: 'Expectations Really Pull You Down'

Former Team India assistant Coach Abhishek Nayar opened up on working with KL Rahul, highlighting what held him back before the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Nayar paired with KL to improve his skill-set and performance, and there has been a significant change in the wicketkeeper-batter ever since.

Abhishek Nayar Reveals What Held KL Rahul Back Earlier

The Border-Gavaskar Trophy was where KL Rahul redeemed himself and became Team India's new Mr. Dependable. From being able to start as a specialist batter to being incorporated in the middle order, Rahul has stood out on every occasion in all three formats of the game. Earlier, Rahul often faced the fans and analysts' ire for not stepping up to the occasion.

Coach Nayar explained that outside noise and self-expectations over time got infused into KL Rahul's mind, adding pressure on his shoulders. He also highlighted that the expectations eventually affect their play.

"So you start thinking this is what you need to do, and this is what you need to achieve, and people keep talking about your potential and your talent.

"You keep adding more pressure saying that because everyone thinks I'm talented and because I have the potential, I need to live up to it, and those expectations sometimes weigh on you your shoulders, and those expectations sometimes really pull you down in a lot of ways and don't let you be you. That was something that I think was one of those things that was holding him back," Abishek Nayar said to ESPNCricinfo.

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Coach Nayar further explained that such things take the fun out of the action and restrict someone from playing the way they want to. He also added that it kills their innate instincts, emptying their natural flow during the play.

KL Rahul Emerges As A Maverick For Team India

KL Rahul emerged as the crisis man on several occasions. Be it for Team India in the ICC Champions Trophy or the Delhi Capitals in the IPL 2025 season, the wicketkeeper-batter stamped his authority all over.

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As a specialist batter, KL went on to shine for the Indian Cricket Team once again in red-ball cricket. A clinical 42 runs in the first innings and then a productive 137-run knock put KL on the map as the wicketkeeper-batter received praise for his composed innings for the side despite losing the match in Headingley.