KL Rahul takes the lead: A Headingley statement years in the making

India Today

4 hours ago

"I had forgotten what my actual position is"KL Rahul didn't flinch as he said it during the post-Day 4 press conference of the Headingley Test against England.No trace of complaint, no bitterness in the tone—just a quiet acceptance of what has become the recurring theme of his Test career. Over the years, Rahul has been moved, reshuffled, benched, recalled, and repositioned more times than most cricketers would endure without protest. But Rahul isn't most cricketers.advertisement
ENG vs IND 1st Test Day 4 HighlightsHe has become India's go-to man for the inconvenient, the unstable, and the uncertain. A makeshift opener here, a middle-order stopgap there-he has batted in five different positions in Test cricket and kept the gloves when needed. And yet, whenever he walks onto the field, there's only one thing on his mind: do the job. Representing India. Make it count.And at Headingley, he did just that. Headingley was that moment-a culmination of years of selfless service, delivered in the format he loves most.Rahul steadies the storm earlyIndia's Day 4 at Headingley didn't start with celebration-it started with a thud. Shubman Gill, the first-innings centurion and India's new Test captain, was gone in the very first over. England had the new ball, the crowd had found its voice, and the pitch had started to play tricks.advertisementBut KL Rahul, who had already opened with Yashasvi Jaiswal, knew the moment needed more than just technique. It needed calm. Composure. Responsibility. Rahul, as he has done so many times before, assumed that burden without being asked. ; . !#TeamIndia | #ENGvIND | @klrahul pic.twitter.com/RqwdP0eeEQ— BCCI (@BCCI) June 23, 2025With Rishabh Pant lighting up the other end with typical flair, Rahul became the anchor. His 137 wasn't loud, but it was deeply authoritative. A century built brick by brick-leaving outside off with discipline, defending with soft hands, and pouncing on width when offered. His 195-run partnership with Pant was India's heartbeat. And through it all, Rahul held the shape of the innings.This was his third century in England-the most by an Indian opener on English soil. More than a statistic, it was a validation. Of the many roles he has been asked to play, this one—opener in a transitional Test side—feels most like home.Facing Stokes without flinchingWhat made Rahul's innings all the more remarkable was how he negotiated England's most dangerous weapon: Ben Stokes.The England skipper had already picked up four wickets in the first innings and was beginning to find rhythm again on Day 4. He came in hard-testing Rahul with bouncers, subtle seam movement, and a constant change of angles. His reverse swing was threatening, and he worked the crease cleverly, looking to break Rahul's rhythm.advertisementBut Rahul didn't bite. He left with precision, ducked with assurance, and played Stokes like a batter who knew the danger but wasn't rattled by it. When Stokes overpitched, Rahul answered with class-especially through the covers, from where he picked up 29 runs in typical elegance. There was no panic. Just composure.He didn't win the battle with Stokes through aggression. He won it with understanding.
KL Rahul impressed with a special knock in Leeds (Reuters Photo)
When red-ball cricket means everythingKL Rahul has never been shy about which format he holds dearest. Speaking to Nasser Hussain during a Sky Sports interview, he said it simply:"I love red-ball cricket. You can't take that away from me."And it shows.There's a different version of KL Rahul that emerges in whites. His movements are quieter. His tempo slower. His body language more reflective. You can almost feel the affection in how he builds an innings-never hurried, never flustered, always deliberate.advertisementAt Headingley, that love translated into a batting masterclass. The way he left deliveries outside off, the soft hands in defence, the judicious strokeplay-it all reflected a player completely at peace with the rhythm of Test cricket.The gap-filler who became the glueRahul's versatility has often been a double-edged sword. While it's made him indispensable to team balance, it has also robbed him of long-term ownership of a single role. From No. 6 against Bangladesh to No. 4 in Kohli's absence, from makeshift wicketkeeper to emergency opener-he has done it all. And quietly so.But now, with India's Test side entering a post-Kohli-Rohit era and Rahul playing his first Test under Shubman Gill's captaincy, his role seems even more valuable. His performances as an opener, particularly in overseas conditions, speak volumes. Eight of his nine Test centuries have come at the top of the order. Five of them in SENA countries. And in England alone, his average as an opener now stands at an impressive 43.11.He hasn't just filled the gaps. He has become the glue.advertisementCalm in a noisy cricket worldAt a time when cricket careers are defined by brand deals, reels, and noise, KL Rahul has chosen something different: silence and substance.His knock at Headingley wasn't just another hundred. It was a statement. A reaffirmation that, in this new phase of Indian cricket, his presence offers something rare-stability. You need an opener? He's there. You need a makeshift middle-order anchor? He'll take it. You need a fill-in wicketkeeper? He'll do that too.Now, as the new order of Indian Test cricket finds its rhythm, Rahul's presence feels indispensable-not just because he's in form, but because he understands the value of a place earned the hard way.Because when the going gets tough, Rahul doesn't ask why.He just asks, "Where do I bat?"And then he answers-with runs.- Ends