Trisha Ghosal in London
India’s batting has flourished this series not by chance, but through the strength of four standout performers. KL Rahul is the first of those pillars, the foundation that has helped the innings stand, stretch, and often soar.
While he’s an opener by role, his significance has extended far beyond mere starts. Rahul has been the calm bridge between collapse and control, a batter who has carried not just the burden versus the new ball but the hopes of stability. And in a country like England, where openers often perish before they settle, Rahul has rewritten that script.
The numbers speak clearly. Out of the 894.2 overs India have batted in this series, KL Rahul has spent 337 overs at the crease, that’s 37.68 percent of India’s total batting overs.
More importantly, he has repeatedly done the hardest job in England: negating the new ball. With the exception of one early exit at Edgbaston, Rahul has consistently gone past the 25-over danger mark. He has taken the sting out of the new-ball spells and left behind a platform for the rest to build on. From Headingley to Old Trafford, he has ensured that India didn’t just survive the first hour, they grew into the day.
Look closer and you’ll see the rhythm of his dismissals, the 25th, 30th, 67th, 70th overs, which don’t scream collapse, but whisper calmness and structure. And the partnerships tell their own story. Of the seven fifty-plus stands India have had, Rahul has been part of five. He’s contributed to one of four century partnerships, and two of India’s three 150+ stands. That’s not just presence, that’s impact.
He’s also put to rest a criticism that once followed him like a shadow, the notion that KL Rahul starts a series in style but fades away by the time the real battles begin. This time, he’s stayed. Grounded. Focused. Invaluable.
His final numbers reflect that consistency. 511 runs in 8 innings at an average of 63.87. But even more than the runs, it’s been the assurance. The quiet confidence he brings, the time he buys for his team, the partnerships he knits together.
This version of Rahul is not about flair, but about function and fulfilment. And in a batting line-up that has looked more assured than it has in a long time, his contribution is not just critical, it is foundational.
Over the coming days, we will look at the other pillars that have held India’s batting together this English summer. But as we begin that journey, it’s only fitting that we start with the first line of defence, the man who has consistently walked in early, faced the storm, and walked out having calmed it.
KL Rahul. The first pillar of India’s batting revival.
And if India are to level the series, this pillar will have to stand tall once more, as the final Test begins in a few hours from now at the Kia Oval.
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