Rajkot: After scoring a crucial half century against Australia in the second ODI, India batsman KL Rahul has revealed how he prepared himself to bat in the middle order.

Admitting that it is a “great challenge” to bat in the middle order, considering he is an opener, the Karnataka batsman said he spoke to captain Virat Kohli and also watched videos of Australian batsman Steve Smith and South Africa’s AB de Villiers.

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“I don't think technically I have practiced anything different. I just spoke a lot more to middle-order batsmen and watched a lot of videos. I spoke a lot to Virat (Kohli) and watched a lot of videos of AB (de Villiers) and Steve Smith for that matter and how they build their innings,” Rahul, who hit a 52-ball 80 batting at No. 5, said after India’s 36-run victory in Rajkot on Friday (January 17).

Thanks to Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan and Kohli’s half centuries, India posted 340/6. Later, the bowlers restricted the visitors to 304 to claim a series-levelling victory. Now, the three-match decider will be played at Rahul’s home ground, M Chinnaswamy Stadium, in Bengaluru, tomorrow (January 19).

Rahul further said that he also watched New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson’s batting. “Kane Williamson is somebody I've tried to go back and watch some of his videos and see how he builds his innings and how they play in certain situations. The only thing I'm trying to learn is how I can use my game and be better at a certain situation.”

The right-hander, who has been in great form in white ball cricket, said he is more comfortable at the top of the order but said the new role is a “blessing”.

“It is great challenge. I have been in decent form and very pretty confident about my skill, so coming up to every game and having a new responsibility and a new role is also a blessing, I don't think a lot of batsmen get that. That is how I look at this and I am enjoying my batting.

“I have always opened the batting so that's a position I am most comfortable with and I know how to build my innings but I get to learn so much about own self and about my batting and batting as an art, when I get to bat at 3,4,5,” Rahul said.