India opener KL Rahul has displayed exceptional form with the bat in the ongoing five-match Test series against England. For the first time in his career, he has accumulated more than 400 runs in a Test series, and with his effort, the cricketer from Karnataka has also become the best visiting opener in England in 22 years.
It was the partnership between Rahul and Shubman Gill on the fourth day that gave India the hope to draw the Manchester Test. The duo came together at 0/2 and played out two sessions without giving away their wicket. Rahul's defence as he proved his mettle, not for the first time in his career. Notably, unlike in the earlier series, he has been extremely consistent in the ongoing series.
He has already amassed 511 runs in eight innings at an impeccable average of 63.87 with two centuries and as many fifties. Rahul has also faced the second-most deliveries in the series, 998, only behind his captain, Gill, who has faced 1106 deliveries in this series and is the leading run-scorer by a long way.
Coming back to Rahul, his performance is the best in England for any visiting opener since 2003 when South Africa's Graeme Smith amassed 714 in nine innings at an average of 79.33 with two centuries and a fifty to his name, even as his best score was 277.
Visiting Openers with best performance in England
| Players | Matches (Innings) | Runs | Average | Year |
| KL Rahul (India) | 4 (8) | 511 | 63.87 | 2025 |
| Graeme Smith (South Africa) | 5 (9) | 714 | 79.33 | 2003 |
| Matthew Elliott (Australia) | 6 (10) | 556 | 55.6 | 1997 |
Rahul only 32 runs away from going past Gavaskar
Meanwhile, KL Rahul is on the cusp of breaking Sunil Gavaskar's all-time record in England. The latter is currently the Indian opener with the most runs in a Test series in England, having scored 542 runs in 1979. Rahul is only 32 runs away from surpassing Gavaskar's record after 46 years.
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