Abhishek Nair revealed that Rohit Sharma had asked him to help KL Rahul to adopt a more aggressive mindset and bring him the best.

Former India’s assistant coach Abhishek Nair says that captain Rohit Sharma then tasked him to give KL Rahul’s batting “aggressive approach” when he played a role with the Indian team last year. However, Nair had to quit his job after India’s 1-3 series defeat against Australia in the 2024–25 border-Gavaskar Trophy.

“When I first raised that role, I remember I had a conversation with Rohit, and he said that he was really curious to me, working with KL and KL played the game and brought the best aggressive approach,” Nair told EspNcricinfo.

In the last one year, Rahul did some appropriate outing, which scored 276 out of 10 innings against Australians with a couple of the fifties, and the right -handed batsman scored 140 runs in five matches in the upcoming Champions Trophy.

“He (Rohit) firmly believed that KL Champions Trophy will play a major role in the World Cup and would proceed with everything including tests in BGT and England,” Nair said.

Even though India lost the first test in Leeds, Rahul made a bright start for the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, and opened the innings to make 42 and 137. Starting Rahul’s change, Nair said, he was in training before the tour of Australia.

“Australia was going to be important for him because it was almost as if you did not get runs there … because he was out of T20 [squad]Then this can also be very well their last series.

“In hours and hours of conversation, I finally took him to a place where he trusted me to do some work with him, which he took to his stance, relying on some changes in his strategy, where he stands in the crease, what a guard he takes,” Nair expanded.

So, why does Rahul struggle to fulfill his talent with performance?

“People keep talking about your ability and your talent, and you keep pressing more by saying that because everyone thinks that I am talented, I need to live it, and those hopes sometimes weigh on your shoulders. It was something that I think was one of those things that were holding him back.” He said

He said, “It enjoys the game out of the game. It does not play you the kind of cricket you want to play, and anything more than that kills your instinct completely,” he said.