KL Rahul, one of India’s best overseas Test players, is preparing for the forthcoming five-match Test series against England. With the retirement of legends Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, Rahul is India’s most seasoned Test batsman.
The right-handed hitter has been the most flexible, moving from the opening to the middle order and even wearing wicketkeeping gloves. He is likely to open the innings alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal, providing excellent starts in England’s seaming conditions. Rahul’s previous performance in these circumstances would be useful, having played nine Tests in England and scoring over 600 runs, including two hundreds.
Here are the three best Test performances of KL Rahul against England:
1. 199 runs off 311 deliveries at Chennai in 2016
In the final Test of the 2016 series against England at Chennai, KL Rahul played one of the finest innings of his career, scoring 199 off 311 deliveries. It was his first Test hundred against England and could have made his maiden double ton, but he fell short by a single run, dismissed off Adil Rashid.
While the headlines were eventually stolen by Karun Nair’s historic unbeaten 303, only the second triple century by an Indian batter, it was Rahul who gave the side a perfect start. Having played just over a handful of Tests at the time, the Karnataka opener handled England’s spin duo of Rashid and Moeen Ali with ease.
2. 149 runs off 224 deliveries at the Oval in 2018
In his maiden Test tour to England in 2018, KL Rahul made a memorable 149 off 224 balls at The Oval in the fifth and final Test. This knock, his second Test hundred against England and his first on English soil, saw him take on the opposition bowling attack.
India, which had a target of 464, lost early wickets. However, Rahul, along with Rishabh Pant, stitched a crucial partnership. His innings marked the highest individual score of the match and the second-highest by an Indian in the fourth innings of a Test, only behind Sunil Gavaskar. Despite his heroics and Pant’s century, India fell short, and England sealed the game and the series 4-1. Rahul ended the series with 299 runs, including this solitary ton.
3. 129 runs off 250 deliveries at Lord’s in 2021
KL Rahul’s solid 129 off 250 deliveries at the iconic Lord’s in India’s last tour to England in 2021 is one of the best knocks played by the batter against the English. Marking his third century against England, Rahul rose to the occasion at the most iconic venue, becoming one of the few Indian openers to register his name on the Honours Board.
Batting in the challenging overcast conditions after England opted to field, Rahul shared an important 126-run opening stand with Rohit Sharma. His 250-ball saw him hammer 12 fours and a six, playing at a rate of 51.60. It was Rahul’s effort that took the visitors’ first-innings total to 364, eventually leading to a historic 151-run victory. Rahul’s ton was the highlight of the second Test and an important contribution in a series that ended 2-2. He finished the tour with 315 runs, including one fifty and the memorable Lord’s hundred.
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