KL Rahul debuted for India in test match cricket at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and he had an absolutely horrible time. He got only a total of 2 runs in two innings.

Rahul was picked to replace Rohit Sharma. So, he batted at no. 6 in the first innings and there was not much pressure on him when he walked in.

A well set Virat Kohli was batting at the other end and India was in a decent position as well.

But, Rahul, perhaps a bit awestruck to be playing in front of such a big crowd, played some strange cricket.

First, he ran down to Nathan Lyon and without getting to the pitch of the ball, went through his shot to chip the ball in the air. He should have been caught at midwicket, but, to his delight, the catch was not held.

Rahul, however, did not learn any lesson from that. The next ball that he faced, he went for a big slog. The ball pitched in the rough, bounced, took the top edge and in international cricket, the catches don’t get dropped all the time.

The short fine leg fielder caught it cleanly and the young debutant departed.

Rahul’s intention could be understood there. He perhaps was trying to put Nathan Lyon off his rhythm, but, he should have seen that there were big roughs outside the off stump and Lyon was deliberately trying to pitch the ball there.

So, Rahul should have tried to go forward, but, that’s where experience helps you. Playing his first test match, he perhaps was in a hurry to get going.

In the second innings though, Rahul got a snotter from Johnson which he could not have done much with.

He went for the pull, was beaten by pace and was caught in the slips.