Rakesh can identify the phylum of the animal he saw by observing its key characteristics and comparing them to the main features of different animal phyla in the kingdom Animalia.

First, he can look at the animal's body structure, such as whether it has a backbone or not. If it has a backbone, it likely belongs to the phylum Chordata. If it lacks a backbone, it might belong to other phyla like Arthropoda (insects, spiders), Mollusca (snails, octopuses), or Cnidaria (jellyfish, corals).

Next, Rakesh can observe other traits like body symmetry (bilateral or radial), the presence of specialized structures (like shells or exoskeletons), and how the animal moves or feeds. By using these characteristics to categorize the animal, he can narrow down its classification to the appropriate phylum within the kingdom Animalia.