KL Rahul has been phenomenal for India in the ongoing five-match series against England. Last year, after flopping in the first Test against New Zealand in Bengaluru, Rahul was dropped from the playing XI, and his future in red-ball cricket was in question. However, with Rohit Sharma being unavailable for the first Test against Australia in Adelaide, Rahul was handed the opening spot.
The 33-year-old impressed and eventually sealed his spot in the playing XI. When Rohit returned, he featured at number six. Later, Rahul’s spot was juggled for a while, but after the former India Test captain retired, he sealed the opening spot. The ongoing England tour was supposed to be a test of his skill and whether he can be a long-term option for the team. He eventually proved his merit in the middle.
Rahul started the series with a hundred in the second innings at Headingley, a half-century at Edgbaston and then again a ton at the iconic Lord’s. In the fourth Test at Old Trafford, he made 46 and 90 runs, respectively, as the match ended in a stalemate.
Meanwhile, it was a series of firsts for Rahul. The ongoing tour is the first time that the cricketer has played over 1000 balls in a Test series, scoring over 500 runs and hitting multiple centuries.
India trailing 2-1 in the series
Even though some of the batters have done a commendable job in the series, India are currently trailing 2-1. England won the first and third Test, while India won the second, and the fourth one ended on level terms. The fifth Test at the Oval holds key for the visitors as they would want to get the job done and finish the series on level terms. However, things won’t be as simple, especially given the overcast conditions.