Rahul has scored 375 runs from six innings in the Tendulkar-Anderson Trophy
After years of doubts over his abilities and criticism about not fulfilling his potential, KL Rahul is going through a purple patch. The Karnataka batter averages 48 in ODIs this year and in Tests, he at 49 having scored two hundreds and a fifty in the ongoing Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.
In the third Test at Lord’s Rahul played a fluent innings of 100 in the first innings and was the most prized wicket for England in the second innings having scored 39 runs. In both innings, the opener’s dismissal proved to be the turning point as India matched England’s total of 387 and then lost wickets in a heap in the second innings while chasing 193.
Had England captain Ben Stokes not trapped him lbw with a brilliant seaming delivery and then went for the DRS, Rahul could’ve taken the game away from the hosts.
SGP
105/9
MAL
107/4
HKG
172/5
SAM
118/10
Hong Kong beat Samoa by 54 runs
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116/1
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112/6
Bahrain beat Malawi by 9 wickets
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113/7
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127/4
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52/5
Baden Wurttemberg United Women beat Western Warriors Women by 75 runs
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103/1
DMW
71/2
Baden Wurttemberg United Women beat DJK Munich Women by 32 runs
WWW
72/3
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98/2
DJK Munich Women beat Western Warriors Women by 26 runs
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1/0
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111/10
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112/4
City Cricket Club beat 91 Yards Club by 6 wickets
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172/2
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169/3
Bud Cricket Club beat Nabajyoti Club by 8 wickets
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69/4
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4/1
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111/10
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115/2
Namibia A beat Nigeria by 8 wickets
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71/4
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126/9
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164/2
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160/4
Mahe Megalo Strikers beat Yanam Royals by 8 wickets
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73/4
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151/4
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148/5
Amo Sharks beat Boost Defenders by 6 wickets
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152/6
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151/8
Mis Ainak Knights beat Speen Ghar Tigers by 4 wickets
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Rahul is now among the rare list of 13 players who got more than one hundred at the Lord’s and only the second Indian to do so.
This new-found confidence has been made possible by a slight technical adjustment by the 33-year-old, according to former India head coach Ravi Shastri.
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Shastri, who was India’s coach in 2021 when they beat England at Lord’s by 151 runs in which Rahul scored a hundred, elaborated how Rahul has looked comfortable despite the swinging conditions.
“What I am seeing is a slight adjustment he’s made with his front foot, in his stance and while defending. It just opened up a bit, which allows his back to come through cleanly. Even when he’s hitting it towards mid-wicket, it’s the full face of the blade,” Shastri said on ICC Review.
“He doesn’t need to close the face of the blade, and fall over and get into trouble like he used to in the past. He would get out leg before, would get out bowled, he would get across too far and then be out leg before as well,” Shastri added.
With four hundreds in England, Rahul is only behind batting legend Rahul Dravid who has six tons. Rahul’s form on a tough pitch at the Lord’s earned him plaudits alongside Ravindra Jadeja who put on a massive fightback, batting for two sessions alongside Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj but was unlucky to end up on the losing side.
“He’s at his prime. He has got to make these next three, four years count,” Shastri added on Rahul.
The fourth Test at Old Trafford will begin on Wednesday (July 23).
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Malaysia beat Singapore by 6 wickets