India batsman KL Rahul has said the 2016 IPL season was the key moment for him to start believing in his abilities as a short-format batsman. Rahul scored 397 runs in 14 matches this season at a strike rate of 146.49 for Royal Challengers Bangalore. He also hit 16 sixes in the season to finish joint fifth on the list of most sixes. He had hit only five sixes in the previous IPL season.Rahul went on to earn a call up to the Indian ODI and T20 squads. He smashed a century in Zimbabwe on his ODI debut and produced a spectacular assault in Florida against West Indies that nearly took India to victory in pursuit of the highest successful T20I chase. He is now one of only three Indians, Suresh Raina and Rohit Sharma being the other two, to have made an international century in all three formats of the game.This years IPL was the key moment for me to start believing in myself and my shorter format abilities, Rahul told ESPNcricinfo. Once people saw it, they started believing it too. I think it is very important when your own team-mates start believing that you have the game. I always knew I could play the shorter format but it was about putting a few performances there. A couple of good innings and I knew I will start believing a lot more in myself, so yes it worked out well for me this summer.Besides his spectacular form in the shorter formats, Rahul has also produced impressive performances in Test cricket. Replacing Murali Vijay, who injured his thumb, in the second Test of the recently-concluded series against West Indies, Rahul struck 158 in Indias first innings total of 500. It was his third Test century. He followed up the ton in Jamaica with a brisk half century in the Third Test in St. Lucia.Rahul is now expected to be Indias first-choice opener in the upcoming series against New Zealand, starting on September 22 in Kanpur. Rahul said the reason for his success has been in keeping things simple irrespective of the format. He also credited his Test and Royal Challengers captain Virat Kohli for being an inspiration both on and off the field.We feel lucky we dont have to look too far, the guy who inspires you is sitting right next to you in the dressing room, he said. The level of commitment that he (Kohli) has shown, the discipline and work ethics, the way he has been so disciplined with his fitness, nutrition and diet, that is something that has inspired all of us. If you come into the dressing room now you see how all the boys are so disciplined. Hes helped me in shaping my career. When I came into Test cricket, I was good but not as good as I am now. Virat has helped me with my preparation, mindset and he has given me a lot of confidence.It is really strange but there is no mental switch that I make. If you saw the innings in St. Lucia, I got a 50 in 56 balls (65) or something opening the innings when the ball was doing a little bit. I try to keep things very simple. I go into the field, try to assess the pitch and the situation, see what are the best shots I can play and what is the best approach to have on that day.While playing for Royal Challengers, Rahul was also given the task of keeping wickets. Having performed the role in junior cricket as well, Rahul said he will be ready if asked to keep for India.I know this (wicket-keeping) challenge can be thrown at me, thats why I have started working a lot harder on my fitness because keeping will demand different sort of fitness, he said. If I have to keep and bat, it will take a lot out of my body. So I have started to train harder and focus on eating right and whatever helps recover my body, I am trying to take care of that. It helps to have great support staff to look after you, they guide as well. I am sure the gloves will come on at some point. I will be ready and I will enjoy that too.Read KL Rahuls full interview here. Cheap Kyrie Irving Jersey . 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SAN FRANCISCO -- From the White House to San Francisco police union headquarters, Colin Kaepernicks name came up Monday as his decision to sit down during the national anthem reached far beyond football.And many arent thrilled with the 49ers quarterbacks strong words about why he is doing it : To instigate change and challenge authority when it comes to race relations and what he considers police brutality.Even his former coach, outspoken Michigan leader Jim Harbaugh, chimed in from afar in disagreement with Kaepernicks tactics -- clarifying some earlier remarks that questioned the quarterbacks motivation.I apologize for misspeaking my true sentiments. To clarify, I support Colins motivation. Its his method of action that I take exception to, Harbaugh posted on Twitter.A day after Kaepernick called Donald Trump openly racist, the Republican presidential candidate fired back on Seattles KIRO radio.I have followed it, and I think its personally not a good thing. I think its a terrible thing, Trump said. And you know, maybe he should find a country that works better for him. Let him try, it wont happen.Kaepernick, who has sat through the anthem for all three 49ers preseason games so far, is prepared to keep fighting for what he believes in -- even alone.The fact that it has blown up like this, I think its a good thing. It brings awareness, Kaepernick said Sunday. Now, I think people are really talking about it. Having conversations about how to make change. Whats really going on in this country. And we can move forward. ...There is police brutality. People of color have been targeted by police.Martin Halloran, the San Francisco Police Officers Association president, sent a letter Monday to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and 49ers CEO Jed York denouncing Kaepernicks ill-advised statements and a naivete and total lack of sensitivity toward police, along with an incredible lack of knowledge about officer-involved shootings.There is some depth and some truth to what he was doing, Seahawks star Richard Sherman said of Kaepernick. I think he could have picked a better platform and a better way to do it, but every day they say athletes are so robotic and do everything by the book and then when somebody takes a stand like that, he gets his head chopped off.The police union invited Kaepernick or anyone else from the league to visit the San Francisco police academy to build communication and understanding about the profession.I only wish Mr. Kaepernick could see the emotional and psychological challenges that our officers face following a fatal encounter, Halloran wrote.Some are so affected they never return to the streets. In short, Mr.dddddddddddd Kaepernick has embarrassed himself, the 49er organization, and the NFL based on a false narrative and misinformation that lacks any factual basis.At the U.S. Open tennis tournament in New York, top-ranked American John Isner spoke of Kaepernick after winning his first-round match Monday.I thought that was pathetic from him. The cause he was going for, fine by me -- but dont do it in that fashion, Isner said. For him doing it in that way really irked me. Im a big Blaine Gabbert fan now.Gabbert and Kaepernick are competing for San Franciscos starting QB job.White House spokesman Josh Earnest said he was confident President Barack Obama is aware of Kaepernicks actions, but hadnt spoken directly with the president about it.In general, what I can say is that I certainly dont share the views that Mr. Kaepernick expressed after the game in explaining his reasoning for his actions, but we surely would all acknowledge and even defend his right to express those views in the settings that he chooses, Earnest said. Thats what hes done, and even as objectionable as we find his perspective, he certainly is entitled to express it.Kaepernicks stance, which he further explained Sunday after he was shown sitting on the bench for The Star-Spangled Banner before Fridays preseason loss to the Packers, was still the chatter around the NFL, too.Steelers left tackle Alejandro Villanueva, who played at Army and served in Afghanistan before forging a job in the NFL, said he agrees that the U.S. is not perfect but insists it is the best country and he is unsure how he would react if one of his teammates sat down for the anthem.I just know that I am very thankful to be an American. I will stand very proudly, and I will sing every single line in the national anthem every single time I hear it, Villanueva said. I will stop whatever I am doing, because I recognize that I have to be very thankful to be in this country.As some of Kaepernicks teammates noted Sunday, many are offended by his bold move -- one he plans to continue indefinitely.The American flag and our national anthem stand for something, and the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States salutes all who stand with us, said Veterans of Foreign Wars National Commander Brian Duffy.---AP Tennis Writer Howard Fendrich, AP Sports Writers Will Graves and Larry Lage, and Associated Press Writers Kevin Freking and Paul Elias and AP freelance writer Curtis Crabtree contributed to this report.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL Youth NFL Jerseys Wholesale Wholesale NFL Womens Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys 2020 Cheap Jerseys Stitched Jerseys Cheap NFL Autographed Jerseys Cheap NFL Black Jerseys Wholesale NFL Camo Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Throwback Discount Jerseys Youth NFL Jerseys China Stitched Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Throwback Discount NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale ' ' '