Matthew Hayden makes a stunning observation after KL Rahul's comeback performance in Perth Test

During a recent interview with Star Sports, former Australian cricketer Matthew Hayden praised the impact that KL Rahul has had on the team. Hayden also noted the change in Rahul's playing style since his promotion up the batting order, which was a result of regular captain Rohit Sharma being on paternity leave.

"As a test opener, you fail a lot more than you succeed. It's simple. You're gonna have a ball that's new, conditions that are actually harmful to you as a player, and you're going to get out to it, simple as that. But KL, he's always struck me as a player that's played in his mind a lot as well. Not so much in the positive way I'm talking about now. I think his confidence, which should be off the charts because the boy's got serious talent. But it's almost like the talent has confused this simplicity of the game and therefore interfered with the art of actually just batting, which is about leaving the ball in Test match cricket. And when you think back to the first innings, the conditions were tough. What did KL do? He left the ball better than anyone else in that innings," said the former Aussie captain.

"I think also in the second innings as well, he would have imposed that wisdom onto his younger counterpart who also then came out with another great skill and that is hitting the ball late something which takes great confidence," he added.

After stand-in skipper Jasprit Bumrah won the toss and opted to bat on Friday, Rahul (26) and Jaiswal (0) lost their wicket early. But they had the perfect response in the second innings, remaining unbeaten till Stumps.