KL Rahul became the first cricketer in Test history to be dismissed for 100 on two different occasions in the same calendar year. KL Rahul slammed his 11th Test century on Day 2 of the first Test match against West Indies in Ahmedabad on Friday. It was KL Rahul’s second Test century at home, but he was dismissed right after reaching the milestone.
This was the second time in a row that KL Rahul scored a century in Tests and was dismissed for exactly 100. He scored 100 in the Lord’s Test against England back in July. Since the first Test match was played back in 1877, no cricketer has been dismissed for 100 twice in the same calendar year. Overall, KL Rahul was the seventh player to be dismissed for 100 twice in his Test career.
KL Rahul, following his century against the West Indies at Ahmedabad, mentioned that playing in different conditions, particularly in England, has been beneficial for his confidence.
His best Test series outing also came this year against England in the UK, ending the five-match series as the third-highest run-getter with 532 runs in 10 innings at an average of 53.20, with two centuries and two fifties. KL Rahul also shared that his celebration after reaching three figures was for his daughter. Rahul brought his first home century since 2016 and only his second at home during the WI Test at Ahmedabad, grinding out a masterclass of 100 in 197 balls, with 12 fours.
KL Rahul has spent years searching for a sense of belonging in home conditions. On October 3 in Ahmedabad, he finally found it. With his 11th Test century, and only his second on Indian soil, Rahul not only ended a barren run stretching back over eight years but also rediscovered the assurance that had deserted him for so long.
KL Rahul’s previous Test hundred at home dated back to 2016 in Chennai against England. The wait that followed stretched over 3,211 days, a record gap between two home centuries for an Indian batter, eclipsing Mohinder Amarnath’s 2,886-day drought. On Day 2 in Ahmedabad, Rahul ended that long silence, stepping up after the quick dismissals of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sai Sudharsan to steady India with a composed hundred.
But for KL Rahul, the innings was more than just about numbers. His century against West Indies reflected a shift in mindset, one that he admitted came from learning to adapt his tempo in home conditions, rather than carrying the same approach he used overseas.
Looking back at stumps, he recalled how the disappointment of the 2024 New Zealand series, when he was dropped after a single poor Test, became the trigger for him and former India assistant coach Abhishek Nayar to work on his techniques. For his scintillating century, KL Rahul received a special praise from Former Indian off spinner now commentator Harbhajan Singh.
KL Rahul has played absolutely solid- Harbhajan Singh
Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh lauded KL Rahul after his hundred on Day 2 (Friday, October 3) of the first Test against West Indies at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Resuming on 53 overnight, KL Rahul played a composed innings to reach his 11th Test century and only his second at home, finishing with 100 off 197 balls, including 12 fours.
Following the day’s play, Harbhajan shared a video on his YouTube channel, praising KL Rahul for his century and expressing surprise at his Test average despite having scored nine centuries overseas. Harbhajan said:
“KL Rahul scored a century. Well done, he has played very well, absolutely solid. His average is 35, and he has hit one century at home before this match, and now this is his second century. These statistics are a bit surprising because the centuries scored outside are nine in number for him, and anyone who can score nine centuries abroad is such a great player. This is KL Rahul, we have all seen it. And I hope this is just the beginning, and more runs will come from here.”
The 45-year-old also praised wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel, who impressed in the absence of Rishabh Pant. The right-handed batter scored his maiden Test century, compiling 125 off 210 balls, including 15 fours and three sixes. Reacting to Jurel’s heroics, Harbhajan remarked:
“Because the wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant is not available, he (Dhruv Jurel) is playing in his place. And he came and played such solid batting, no matter what the bowling was. But international matches are international matches, and he came and scored 125 runs. His defense was solid, and he played an amazing innings.”
Featuring in his sixth Test, Jurel has now scored 380 runs at an average of 47.50, including one fifty and one century.In the same video, Harbhajan Singh called West Indies a very light team after their dismal first-innings performance, being bowled out for 162. He expressed surprise at the low batting averages of their players and said:
“West Indies is a very light team. A team that doesn’t have much experience. If we talk about the average of their batsmen, then the average of any batsman is not above 30. So, in an international team, this is the first time I have seen that any big team, which has Test cricket status, has batsmen whose average is not above 30. So, this was shocking news for me when I was covering the match.”
Before the batters took charge in the Ahmedabad Test, India’s bowlers had already dictated terms. Mohammed Siraj (4/40) and Jasprit Bumrah (3/42) ripped through West Indies, bundling them out for 162.
KL Rahul walked in with momentum on his side, but what followed was his own intent-driven tempo that balanced aggression with control which even filled in any concerns for the side after the dismissals of Jaiswal and Sudharsan in quick succession. With initial support from skipper Gill and then by Dhruv Jurel, he eventually raised his bat for three figures, only to fall for 100 to Jomel Warrican.
Though KL Rahul could not kick on beyond the milestone, his innings became the launchpad for India’s charge. Dhruv Jurel, celebrating his maiden Test hundred, and Ravindra Jadeja, who joined him for a towering 206-run stand, ensured India’s advantage swelled to 286 by the close of play.
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