India have managed to set a challenging score for England to chase in the fourth innings and final day. They could do that because their senior most experienced campaigner stood up when the team needed it. KL Rahul converted his start that he got on Day 3 to a superb hundred and set up a challenging score for England who will go for the win no matter what.
It was a proper opener’s innings from KL Rahul as he built caution with aggression from the start and took responsibility on himself to fire. He lost Yashasvi Jaiswal early, then built a nice stand with Sai Sudharsan before Sai fell. Thereafter, he lost Shubman Gill early on Day 4 before weathering the storm and built a crucial 195-run stand with Rishabh Pant. When he finally fell for 137, the floodgates opened and India collapsed once again. So, in more ways than one he was holding the innings together till he was there.
KL Rahul’s experience comes to the fore at Leeds.
With a lead of just 6 runs, it was important someone from the top order took responsibility and set things up for India. The visitors looked up to the senior players and KL Rahul the most experienced of them did not disappoint. He started well and mixed caution with aggression really well. He lost Yashasvi Jaiswal early and then built a 66-run stand with Sai Sudharsan before the debutant fell for 30. He lost his captain Shubman Gill early on Day 4 as India were in a spot of bother at 92/3. KL was unbeaten on 47 overnight but took his time in the morning session.
The highlight of the day was his partnership with Rishabh Pant who also scored a hundred and made records himself. In the morning session, Rahul was stoic in defence and weathered a great spell of bowling by the England bowlers. The hosts gave nothing away, but Rahul did not give his wicket away either. Rishabh Pant was chaotic initially but he soon calmed down and both played through the morning session as India scored only 63 runs in 24.1 overs for the loss of only one wicket. That was crucial for India.
The Indians led by Pant switched gears in the afternoon session as the southpaw took the risks and rattled England. But KL Rahul was solid at one end and did not give anything away. Yes, Rahul got a reprieve when he was 62 dropped by Harry Brook in the gully off Joshua Tongue. But that was the only blemish in his otherwise chanceless innings. While Pant was extravagant, Rahul was the calming influence and went about his business professionally. He built a 195-run stand off 283 balls with Pant before Pant fell for 118. Karun Nair came and scored 20 and was involved in a 46-run stand with Rahul. Rahul eventually fell for 137 off 247 balls laced with 18 fours to his name.
After Rahul’s dismissal India collapsed to lose 6/31 to go from 333/4 to 364 all out and give England a challenging score of 371 to chase. It could have been more, but Rahul’s innings has kept India in the game and it is up to the bowlers to step up and be counted on the final day and the fourth innings of the Test match.
Some important facts and stats of KL Rahul
This was KL Rahul’s 9th Test hundred in Test cricket. Interestingly, this is his 8th away from home and 6th in the SENA countries. With this century at Leeds, this is his 3rd Test hundred in England. By looking at these numbers, one may feel he performs better away from home than home. But his average in both home and away is in the 30s with his overall average at 34 which flatters everyone. He is a better player than the numbers suggest but inconsistency and injuries have plagued him.
We all remember his two hundreds in South Africa in 2021 and then in 2023 during the Boxing Day Test matches there. Both of them came at Centurion where others struggled but he stood out when the team needed him the most. He has three hundreds in England with the first one coming in 2018 at The Oval and then in 2021 at the Home of Cricket at Lord’s where he got his name on the Honours Board.
Now, KL Rahul added one more by scoring a hundred at Leeds. All these innings have come when the team needed it the most and has helped India. Who can forget his hundred in 2015 at the Sydney Cricket Ground in Australia in his debut series. He also has a hundred in West Indies and Sri Lanka apart from his hundred in Chennai against England where he scored 199.
KL Rahul has had a good start to this England series and one thing he will aim to do is continue the good work and keep on scoring. He will hope for consistency and finish the long series the way he started. He will not want to taper off like it has been the case with him in the past. He is the glue to the current Indian batting which is young and inexperienced. All eyes will be on him to contribute and guide the young Indian batting in the series.
What Lies Ahead
With India losing their last 6 wickets for 31 runs and folding for 364 has meant that the Test match is nicely set up for a terrific finish. England are chasing 371, which will be their second highest successful chase ever and highest at Leeds. They have scored 21 runs in 6 overs bowled yesterday for the loss of 0 wickets. The equation is simple going into the final day. England needs 350 more runs to win, while India needs 10 wickets to win. We will have 90 overs left in the day, weather permitting,g with rain on the radar in the morning.
India will look to strike early and put some pressure on England and need to take wickets at regular intervals, something they failed to do in the first innings. All bowlers have to step up not only Jasprit Bumrah who will be key to success no doubt. England will go for the target no matter the situation and play aggressively. Their game plan is simple. So, it’s all to play for in Leeds as the final day comes upon us with no rain, hopefully fingers crossed.