KL Rahul has reached a big milestone in his Test career by scoring 1000 runs in England. He is now only the fifth Indian batter to do so, joining cricket legends like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Sunil Gavaskar, and Virat Kohli. Tendulkar leads the list with 1575 runs, followed by Dravid (1376), Gavaskar (1152), and Kohli (1096). Rahul’s achievement puts him in great company.
In 12 Tests in England, Rahul has scored four centuries and two fifties, with his highest score being 149. He is now the second Indian opener, after Sunil Gavaskar, to score over 1000 runs in England, which is quite an achievement.
Most Test Runs by Indian Openers in Away Countries:
- 1404 – Sunil Gavaskar in West Indies
- 1152 – Sunil Gavaskar in England
- 1001 – Sunil Gavaskar in Pakistan
- 1000* – KL Rahul in England
India is currently behind 2-1 in the series against England, and they will need a strong performance to make a comeback. A lot depends on Rahul at the top. His ability to handle the new ball, leave the tricky deliveries, and mix solid defense with stylish cover drives will be crucial.
So far in the fourth Test at Manchester, India’s openers have shown good control and composure, which is a promising sign.
Rahul could be on track for his best-ever Test series. His top performance so far came during the 2016-17 home series against Australia, where he scored 393 runs in four matches at an average of 65.50. That included six half-centuries and a highest score of 90.
KL Rahul Eyes Best-Ever Test Series Performance
While his form has had ups and downs, Rahul has been a dependable batter outside Asia. Nine of his ten Test centuries have come on foreign soil. He has especially performed well in the SENA countries (South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia), with seven centuries in those conditions, including one in Australia and two in South Africa.
As a senior player, Rahul plays an important role in connecting the experienced players with the younger ones. Although he faced criticism in the past for inconsistent performances, he has silenced his critics this time by scoring at least a fifty in every Test so far in the series.
Rahul has also done well in limited-overs cricket. In ODIs, he has scored 3,043 runs in 85 matches at an average of 49.08, with a strike rate of 88.17. He has seven centuries and 18 fifties. In T20Is, he is India’s fourth-highest run scorer with 2,265 runs from 72 matches at an average of 37.75 and a strike rate close to 140. He has scored two centuries and 22 fifties in the format.
However, he has not played T20Is since the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia. His strike rate has sometimes looked a bit slow compared to the younger, more aggressive T20 players coming through in India.
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