'It gives me the chance to play full 20 overs and I make the best impact when I play full 20 overs.'
India wicketkeeper-batsman KL Rahul says he is the "most comfortable" playing as an opener in the T20 format as it gives him the chance to make the 'best impact'.
"Opening the batting is something that I have done all my life and that is something I feel most comfortable doing. It gives me the chance to play full 20 overs and I make the best impact when I play full 20 overs," Rahul said in a video released by the Indian Premier League on their website on Tuesday.
Rahul, who will lead Kings XI Punjab in the IPL, had a smashing season with the bat last year. The Karnataka batsman scored 593 runs in 14 matches at a strike rate of 135, with one century and six fifties.
In One-Day Internationals too, Rahul has achieved a lot of success while opening the batting, scoring 808 runs in 18 games at an average of 50.5 with three centuries and five fifties while opening, as compared to his overall batting average of 47.65.
Similarly in T20Is, Rahul has scored 1022 of his 1461 runs while opening the batting at an average of 46, with an impressive strike rate of 144.
In the 2018 IPL, Rahul was in cracking form as the opener, hitting 659 runs for Kings XI Punjab at an average of 54.91
"It's been fun so far, I had two good seasons with Kings XI Punjab and will try to win a lot more games for my team," said Rahul.
Rahul also pointed out that having a legend like Anil Kumble as the head coach at Kings XI has made his life "very easy" as a captain.
He also revealed that the two Karnataka players share a great rapport.
Kumble also served as India's head coach in 2016-17 and during his tenure, India recorded 12 victories in 17 Tests and reached the final of the ICC Champions Trophy.
"Somebody like Anil bhai helps me immensely because I share a very good relationship off the field as we are from the same state and has made life as captain very easy," Rahul added.
"I know he (Anil Kumble) will do most of the planning and I just have to go out in the middle and carry it out," he added.
