Kolkata, Nov 20 (IANS) India opener Lokesh Rahul, who has been guilty of not converting his fifties into hundreds of late in Test cricket, on Monday said he is disappointed and the team needs him to do that as an opening batsman.

“I am not worried but disappointed. I would converted atleast half of them into hundreds. My numbers would have been a lot different when the stats come up when I go to bat,” said Rahul, who was castled by Sri Lanka pacer Suranga Lakmal for 79 in the second innings.

Before this Test, where Rahul was out for a golden duck in the first essay, Rahul had scores of 90, 67, 60, 57 and 85 in the last five Tests.

India came close to winning against the tourists reducing Sri Lanka to 75/7 chasing 231 after skipper Virat Kohli hit his 50th international hundred to steer India to 352/8 decl. Kohli was 104 not out.

In the first innings, India were shot out for 172 with Sri Lanka taking a 122-run lead by putting up 294 on the board.

“I have never played for numbers firstly. The conversion is something that is disappointing as the team looks forward for me as an opening batsman to go and get bigger runs.

“The way I bat, if I stay longer I can score runs faster and that gives the bowlers cushion of runs in a Test match. It will come soon, I am not worried,” the 25-year old added.

Rahul fell just a couple of runs short of setting a new world record on the final day at the Eden Gardens.

The Karnataka opener was just one short of only West Indies’ Roy Fredricks 80 which is the highest individual score after scoring a first-ball duck.

–IANS
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