KL Rahul's Monumental Test Century Stands Tall Among India's Best In South Africa

27.12.2023 - 10:30 sports.ndtv.com

Battling against the likes of Kagiso Rabada and the South African pacers on a tough Centurion pitch, KL Rahul joined the ranks of esteemed Indian batters like Sachin Tendulkar and former captain Mohammad Azharuddin who have delivered memorable centuries on South African soil.

Amidst a struggling lower order, KL Rahul stood tall, constructing an innings that resonated with both judgment and intent. His 101 runs, brought up with a six over mid-wicket against Gerald Coetzee, were laced with 14 fours and four sixes and took the team's total to 245.

The knock helped Rahul solidify his reputation as India's new Mr. Dependable. This was KL Rahul's eighth century in Test matches and perhaps his most gritty one.

His inning was filled with confident strokes and sheer determination and rescued India from a peculiar position in the first Test match of the series.

cricket South Africa Cricket Team India Cricket Team South Africa vs India Test Kagiso Rabada Sachin Tendulkar Gerald Coetzee Kl Rahul South Africa India

IND vs SA, 2nd Test Day 1, Live Updates:Team India will be squaring off against South Africa in the second Test of the two-match series on Wednesday in Cape Town. The hosts have taken an unassailable 1-0 lead in the series after a massive win in the first match. The Rohit Sharma-led side will aim for redemption as they eye improvement in their World Test Championship points table. India are currently sixth in the points table with 14 points (38.89 PCT) and a defeat will dent their position further. India are also likely to make changes in their Playing XI as there are chances of all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja making a comeback in the team. (Live Scorecard)

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After facing a shocking defeat in the first match, Team India is all set to face South Africa in the second Test of the two-match series on Wednesday in Cape Town. The Rohit Sharma-led side got lost by an innings and 32 runs in the first match. KL Rahul was the only positive for Team India as he scored 101 runs. However, Kagiso Rabada's five-wicket haul and Dean Elgar's massive knock of 185 runs, helped India register a comfortable win. The visitors will now aim for redemption in the next match, in order to end the series with a draw.

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KL Rahul was in tremendous form as he slammed a gritty century on Day 2 of the first Test match between India and South Africa in Centurion on Wednesday. The innings was crucial for India as the visitors kept losing wickets on the other end and it impressed both experts and fans alike. Following the match, during the analysis on his YouTube channel, former India opener Aakash Chopra was all praise for Rahul but said that whether the innings will go down in history as "one of the best" will depend on how much the broadcasters, media and social media play it out in the future.

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Indian captain Rohit Sharma's vulnerability against Kagiso Rabada continued with his dismissal in the first innings of the opening Test match in Centurion on Tuesday. He was again dismissed by the same bowler on Thursday in India's second innings, that too for a duck. Rohit Sharma has been a prime target for Kagiso Rabada across all formats and has been troubled consistently. The South African paceman has now dismissed Sharma a total of 14 times across formats, which is the highest by any bowler.