India’s stand-in skipper KL Rahul hit a sublime half-century as India won their final Super 4s fixture against Afghanistan to end their Asia Cup 2022 campaign with a win. Alongside KL Rahul, Virat Kohli broke his jinx and registered his 71st international century after a wait of 1020 days.

KL Rahul, who scored 62 off 41 balls, finally showed signs of coming back to form, batting alongside Virat Kohli, who came out to open in the absence of Rohit Sharma, who was rested for the dead rubber fixture.

Speaking at the post-match presentation, Rahul said that he has learnt that getting back to form is not as easy as one thinks.

“Coming back after a big injury and surgery, I have realised playing the last few games it is not as easy as you think. I was eager to come and play but obviously finding the same touch or same rhythm wasn’t coming easily as I thought it would. It is a learning for me as a player, happy I could spend some time in the middle and I started feeling good. In this format when you hit the first six off the middle gives you the confidence, I think the Hong Kong game I got a free-hit and though I didn’t time it as well I could, I still hit the ball out of the ground and it felt good,” Rahul said.

KL Rahul reflects on India’s misfortune at Asia Cup 2022

The top-order batting dynamo opined that he found good touch in the Pakistan game and believed that he was getting back into rhythm slowly, but steadily.

“Coming into the Pakistan game I felt little better and getting few shots away gave me the confidence, I am slowly getting into rhythm,” he said.