"People think I'm not passionate just because I'm not very expressive" - KL Rahul

Indian batsman KL Rahul tried to clear up a misconception about him during a press conference before the second ODI against England in Pune. The 28-year-old said that he didn't want people to think he's not passionate about his game just because he's not expressive enough on the field.

After a string of poor performances in the T20Is, KL Rahul roared back to form during the first ODI between India and England. Batting at No. 5 in this match, he scored 62 off 43 balls, helping India post a huge total to win the game.

When questioned if his calmness helped him overcome the rough patch, Rahul mentioned it was a quality that he always tried to imbibe into his personality, regardless of his performances. He said:

"I have always been calm, I've always tried to stay balanced. I have always told myself that I love this game, this game has been everything for me. Whoever I'm today is because of the game. But it is also important that you realise that you should have to treat a game as a game. That is one thing that I believe keeps you a lot calmer, it keeps you in a good frame of mind. Only if you are in a good frame of mind, you can be more consistent for the team and churn out good performances."

KL Rahul also credited senior cricketers for providing him with some valuable life lessons in his early days.

"In my growing years, I kept talking to myself (about staying calm and balanced). The more I have seen the game, with more experience, I learnt better. Whenever you talk to the senior players in the team, they always tell you to remain balanced in your good days and in your bad days," KL Rahul added.

"This is who I'm, that is what I've always been" - KL Rahul

KL Rahul remarked that he doesn't need to change his personality due to outside chatter. He wants to continue being who he is and remain composed on the field.

Speaking about his personality, KL Rahul said:

"I'm not a person who shows it, I'm not very expressive. People think, just because I'm quiet and don't have too many expressions, that 'may be he's not passionate, may be he's not aggressive'. Everybody is different. Everybody's personality is different. Everyone has a different way of expressing themselves. This is who I'm, that is what I've always been and this is what I'll continue to be."

India are set to take on England in the second ODI in Pune on March 26 and will look to clinch the series with a victory.