Rahul: This series 'will rank right at the top' for India

KL Rahul has said that a young team drawing the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2-2 in England "will rank right at the top" among India's list of achievements in Test cricket.

"For us, as a team that wasn't given a chance in this series, for us to fight back and to fight in every game and to get a result which is 2-2 might seem like a draw, but for us and for Indian Test cricket going in the future, I think this will rank right at the top," Rahul said right after India won the fifth Test at The Oval by six runs on the final morning.

"And this is where the change begins and the Indian Test team will go on to create many things and win many more series outside of India."

"I've played cricket for a while, I have won the Champions Trophy, I've seen India lifting the World Cup. I mean, nothing compares with lifting the World Cup, but so many doubts, so many questions from everybody about whether Test cricket would stay or not. I think both the teams with the way we've played in this series, I think we've answered that question."

Rahul further added that while India would have loved to have won the series, the draw felt like a "satisfying" result. The series has been a gruelling one with all five matches going into the fifth day and both India and England having their moments.

"Feeling is hard to describe," he told the host broadcaster. "Been here, toiled for 25 days. It took every inch out of us. Everything that we had, physically, mentally, emotionally, this Test series has taken everything away from all of us. And I think at the end of 25 days, we're standing here 2-2, absolutely proud of ourselves.

"So satisfying to be here and draw the series. Would have loved to win this series. But for a young team to come here and for a lot of us to step up and show the world that we can compete, we can win games outside of India. Yeah, it's truly a testament to what this team is and what Indian cricket means."

Rahul also said it felt "a bit weird" to not have the likes of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and R Ashwin, who all retired from Test cricket earlier this year, around. That meant additional responsibility for the opener, who is on his third tour to England, and he responded with 532 runs in ten innings at 53.20 - the third-highest for the series.

"Yes, it hit me when I joined the team," Rahul said on the absence of the three seniors. "I was here about two weeks earlier playing for India A and it didn't hit me back then, but once I joined the team and I looked around and I didn't have a Rohit, a Virat, an Ashwin.

"But yeah, that's when it hit me that everyone else is looking at me, coming to me to ask about English conditions, what they need to do, how they need to prepare. That's when it hit me that, 'okay, I've stepped into a different role now and it's time for me to help the younger guys, use all the experience I've had of playing Test cricket and international cricket over the years and really put my hand up and stand up for this team.'

"This moment almost feels like this is a young team that's going to stay there for a long time."

On a personal level, Rahul said he was "really happy" with his individual performance. "When India are touring England, it's always a challenge," he said. "The most important thing is for the openers to give the team a solid start and then continue and get as many runs as I can. That was my goal. I was really focused and really wanted the series to go well for me. And I wanted to do the job for the team and put my hands up and take that responsibility."

Rahul hailed the performance of Shubman Gill, who in his first series as captain scored 754 runs in ten innings, breaking a number of records on the way. He also heaped praise on several of his team-mates, who have put up their hands at critical junctures all through the series.

"Shubman has been phenomenal," Rahul said. "He's really led from the front, worked on the boys behind the scenes as well, forming connections which a lot of people don't see, but I think that's really important to do as a captain and he's done that. He's been tactically really good.

"The changes he's made over the series has always got us the wickets somehow. I think he will grow as a really, really good Test captain. I don't want to speak too much about his individual performance because he has shown the world what he can do in all three formats. And especially this series, the way he batted. I think it was phenomenal to watch, phenomenal to bat with him and there's so much I get to learn from him.

"But also, there have been so many other performances. [Mohammed] Siraj being the highest wicket-taker in the series, [Ravindra] Jadeja has got 500 [516] runs, which is really crucial down the order. Not to forget Rishabh's [Pant] contributions, Jassi's [Jasprit Bumrah] contributions, Prasidh [Krishna] stepping up, Aakash [Deep] stepping up, Washington [Sundar] stepping up.

"I think it's been a complete team performance. There have been four or five people in every game that have stood up and delivered for the team. So that gives us more satisfaction than this whole series. And this whole series, almost a series victory, is because of how we played as a team."