By Trisha Ghosal in London
From the press box in Sydney and Melbourne during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 to watching him at Lord’s now, KL Rahul has remained the same force of calm resilience. What changed is the way the world views him. Much like a young Rafael Nadal, Rahul doesn’t thrive on flamboyance. He thrives on grind. On discipline. On showing up every single time the team needs someone to hold the fort.
In Australia, against hostile bowling and constant uncertainty around his batting position, he was India’s best batter. Yet, the musical chairs never stopped. He was moved around, rarely settled, but never once did he complain. And now, in England, he’s making a strong case for being India’s most valuable batter.
Opening in England is a brutal task. The ball seams just a little more, the cloud cover teases danger, and the margin for error is minuscule. Yet Rahul’s numbers this series, 42, 137, 2, 55, 53*chronologically, stand taller than they appear. He is currently the fifth-highest run-scorer in the series across both teams. More crucially, he has soaked up precious time at the crease, shielding the middle order from the new ball’s threat. That invisible contribution, of walking into the storm and diffusing it quietly, has held India together.
On Day 2 at Lord’s, Rahul batted like a player who knew the pitch better than it knew itself. His 53 not out off 113 balls was sculpted from sheer discipline. He played late. He judged smart. He tucked his bat in at the very last moment, ball after ball, refusing to flirt with deliveries that didn’t threaten his stumps. When Archer surprised him with a 142 kph bouncer, Rahul was off-balance, his feet in the air, but still managed to drop the ball into the ground with soft hands. When Stokes angled it away from wide of the crease, Rahul didn’t follow, he trusted his judgement and kept the bat straight.
This wasn’t just a half-century. It was a wall.
But walls don’t win matches. Not always. Not alone. And that’s Rahul’s next step. Nadal became a great not just by enduring, but by conquering. He turned consistency into dominance. That’s Rahul’s road now.
He’s earned his place. Now he must own it. The big hundreds need to come not just for the stats, but to honour the hard yards. Because KL Rahul is too seasoned, too skilled, and too important to be just the calm in the storm.
He must become the storm.
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Here’s more on what Joe Root had to say about the day’s play.