Ahmedabad – KL Rahul celebrated a rare home century in style during India’s first Test against West Indies, dedicating the 100-run milestone to his newborn daughter, Evaarah, with a playful finger-sucking gesture. The milestone reflected not just personal joy but also a sense of relief and stability in his long and varied Test career.
A Settled Role Brings Rewards
Over the past 12 months, Rahul has batted at multiple positions—No. 3, 4, and 6—before cementing his role as an opening batter in the recent England series. The newfound stability has translated into prolific form, including 532 runs in five Tests in England and now a century against West Indies in Ahmedabad.
“I was a bit nervous playing there [India A in Lucknow] because I hadn’t been on the field for 5-6 weeks. Just to get back into the rhythm, get runs, and spend time in the field day after day was physically challenging,” Rahul reflected. His preparation, including extensive India A matches in Australia, England, and at home, has clearly paid dividends.
Form and Technique in Perfect Sync
Rahul’s 197-ball innings in Ahmedabad was a classical opener’s knock, emphasizing risk-free, controlled batting with a strike rate of 50. Only one shot—a reverse sweep off Khary Pierre—stood out as uncharacteristic. Despite his overseas success, Rahul has historically struggled at home, with only two centuries in nine years on Indian soil. His career numbers: 21 Tests (33 innings), 1,249 runs, 10 fifties, and two hundreds at an average of 41.63.
Rahul credits his technical improvements to India’s support staff, including Abhishek Nayar, Rahul Dravid, and Vikram Rathour, who helped adjust his grip and bat face alignment, reducing slicing and improving shot control. Dravid has long argued that a player of Rahul’s caliber should average 50 in Test cricket—a target Rahul is now approaching across formats, with a Test average of 49.92, 48 in ODIs, and 53 in the IPL over the last year.
Looking Ahead
Rahul’s century helped India establish a commanding position against West Indies in Ahmedabad, and the batter himself seemed refreshed, confident, and happy. “I have really enjoyed my batting, playing in different conditions… getting runs there gives you a lot of confidence and coming into this game with some runs behind me also helped,” Rahul said, hinting at a new phase in his career—KL Rahul 2.0.