Open the innings: Done, Bat at No 5: Done, Bat at No 6: Done, Keep wickets: Done. KL Rahul has done everything he has asked of. While he has not been consistent in Test cricket at home or away, he has played some of the crucial knocks for India in England and South Africa. A year ago, he smashed a century in Centurion to power India to win.And in the IND vs SA 1st Test in Centurion, he saved India the blushes in difficult conditions for batters. He scored 50 off 80 to hold the innings together as Protean pace power battered and bruised Indians.
KL Rahul hits critics for a 6
While KL Rahul has been one of the best batters in ODIs, he has faced an immense criticism for his batting in Tests. Despite scoring centuries in England and South Africa, his lack of consistency has even put selectors in a spot of bother.
During the IND vs AUS Test series, he was dropped from the Test team.
The only way he could keep his place in the Test side was if he had kept wickets. And he agreed happily.
At No 6, he took KS Bharat’s spot with Rishabh Pant out of reckoning. And he has delivered when India needed him the most.
On Tuesday in the IND vs SA 1st Test, he came to bat at a difficult time with India down 92/4. But he did not have any cushion as a fired-up Kagiso Rabada demolished Indian batting line-up.
Virat Kohli departed for 38 with KL Rahul needing to build a partnership with Ravichandran Ashwin. When it did not last long, Raul partnered Shardul Thakur for a crucial 43-run stand. Then again with Jasprit Bumrah to take India closer to 200-run mark.
His knock was such that even Sunil Gavaskar applauded, saying the fifty was worth a century.
“This half century by KL Rahul is worth a century. On this pitch, under pressure, this innings is equal to a century,” Sunil Gavaskar said during his commentary stint on Star Sports.
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