KL Rahul Just 60 Runs Away from Historic Milestone Ahead of Fourth Test

India.com

2 days ago

India's veteran wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul is in outstanding form, having scored 375 runs in the ongoing Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025 across three Test matches. His run tally includes two centuries and a half-century, underlining his importance in India's top order. As the team, led by Shubman Gill, gears up for the crucial fourth Test in Manchester, Rahul is just 60 runs short of reaching the 9,000-run mark in international cricket. With England leading the series 2-1 following their narrow win in the third Test, India faces the challenge of turning the tide. Rahul's contributions at the top of the order will be key. His ability to handle pressure, blunt the new ball, and combine elegant cover drives with disciplined shot selection gives India a much-needed anchor.
So far, KL Rahul has featured in 218 international matches and has accumulated 8,940 runs. Across 254 innings, he averages close to 40, with 19 centuries and 58 fifties to his name. His highest individual score in international cricket is 199. Among Indian players, he currently ranks 16th in terms of total runs scored.
KLASS Rahul
While Rahul is often praised for his composure, technique, and wide shot range, it's notable that Test cricket hasn't been his strongest suit statistically. In 61 Test matches, he has scored 3,632 runs at an average of 35.26, which includes 10 centuries and 18 fifties. His highest score in Tests also stands at 199.
In ODIs, however, Rahul has been far more consistent, amassing 3,043 runs in 85 games at an impressive average of over 49 and a strike rate of 88.17. His record includes seven centuries and 18 half-centuries. In T20 Internationals, he is India's fourth-highest run-scorer with 2,265 runs from 72 matches, averaging 37.75 with two centuries and 22 fifties. He hasn't featured in T20Is since the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia, where his strike rate became a talking point amid the rise of younger, more aggressive batters.
Despite occasional dips in form, KL Rahul remains one of India's most reliable overseas performers in red-ball cricket. Remarkably, nine out of his ten Test centuries have come outside Asia, including seven in the challenging SENA countries ( South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia). He has scored one century in Australia and two in South Africa.
With two more Tests left in the series, Rahul has a genuine opportunity to make this his finest red-ball campaign. His best so far was the 2016-17 home series against Australia, where he scored 393 runs in four matches at an average of 65.50, hitting six fifties with a top score of 90.
During this England tour, Rahul has already faced 670 deliveries , the fourth-highest by an Indian opener in England since 1990. With two Tests still to go, he could break his own 2021 record of 735 balls faced in England. He's also in reach of surpassing Rohit Sharma's 866 balls from the same tour and Murali Vijay's record of 1,054 balls faced in 2014.