KL Rahul’s Honest Take After 2nd Home Test Ton Leaves Fans Inspired
KL Rahul reflects on his mental shift and hard work after scoring his 2nd Test century at home, highlighting the art of enjoying the grind.
Indian batsman KL Rahul delivered a masterful performance, scoring his 11th Test century—and only his second on home soil—on the second day of the opening Test against the West Indies in Ahmedabad. The elegant right-hander, who struck 100 before being dismissed after lunch, credited his success to a refined approach to batting tempo and embracing the grind of accumulating runs through singles and twos. Rahul’s knock, alongside centuries from Dhruv Jurel and Ravindra Jadeja, propelled India to a commanding position, though he noted the challenging conditions posed a greater test than the West Indies’ bowling attack.
Reflecting on his sparse home-century tally despite a decade-long career, Rahul, 33, admitted to reporters, “Not sure really,” when asked why only two of his 11 Test hundreds have come in India. His first was against the same opposition in Chennai in 2016. “The only thing I’ve worked on in the last year or so has been maintaining my batting tempo,” he said, emphasising his focus on enjoying less glamorous phases of batting. At home, where spinners dominate and boundaries are scarce due to spread-out fields, Rahul has honed his ability to rotate the strike—a skill he previously struggled with, impacting his conversion rate in Indian conditions.
Rahul’s preparation included a recent century for India A against Australia, which boosted his confidence following a successful England tour earlier this summer. “Getting runs there gives you a lot of confidence,” he noted, adding that a five-to-six-week break post-England helped him feel fresher. The Ahmedabad pitch, combined with humid conditions, tested his physical endurance, a challenge compounded by a gruelling India A match the previous week. “The conditions here have been really challenging physically,” he said, crediting the prior game for helping him regain match rhythm.
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The century celebration held personal significance, dedicated to his daughter, marking an emotional milestone in his 2025-27 World Test Championship campaign, where he has amassed 632 runs in six Tests. Despite a sparse crowd, Rahul’s disciplined innings underscored his growing maturity, offering a blueprint for thriving in India’s spin-heavy, stamina-testing home Tests. As the series progresses, his adaptability could prove pivotal for India’s dominance.
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