India opener KL Rahul credited a positive and balanced approach for his century on Day 1 of the one-off Test against Afghanistan.
Rahul said he consciously avoided restricting his natural strokeplay while transitioning from T20 cricket to the longer format, believing overthinking can hinder performance. His composed 100, alongside captain Shubman Gill’s unbeaten 103 and B. Sai Sudharsan’s 81, helped India finish the day at 368/3. Rahul explained that he focused on playing according to the conditions rather than becoming overly defensive because of the format.
The opener also praised India’s preparation in New Chandigarh, saying it helped him understand the slow nature of the pitch and adapt quickly after the IPL season.