Team India cricketer KL Rahul etched his name in history books during the second innings of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 against Australia. KL Rahul surpassed Team India captain Rohit Sharma and head coach Gautam Gambhir in the elite list of most 50+ scores by Indian players.
Rahul had to open the innings in the first Test against Australia at the Optus Stadium in Perth. He replaced Rohit Sharma, who missed the series opener due to personal reasons. It is worth mentioning that Rahul was dropped from the playing XI after the first Test match in the recent New Zealand series.
KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal Add 100-Run Opening Partnership
The Karnataka-born cricketer looked in good form in the first innings. However, his innings was ended with a controversial decision by the third umpire. He scored 26 runs off 74 balls with the help of three fours. In the second innings, he started from where he had left off in the first innings of the match.
Rahul added a 100-run stand with Yashasvi Jaiswal after taking a crucial 46-run lead in the innings. The duo countered the Australia bowling attack without giving chances to the opposition. Notably, it was the first opening partnership with more than 100 runs for the Indian team in the last 20 years.
KL Rahul has now scored more than 50 runs in SENA Tests on eight occasions, surpassing both Rohit Sharma and Gautam Gambhir, who have each achieved this milestone seven times.
100-Run Opening Partnership in Tests for India in Australia
| Opening Pair | Runs | Venue | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vinoo Mankad / Pankaj Sarwate | 124 | MCG (Melbourne) | 1948 |
| Sunil Gavaskar / Chetan Chauhan | 165 | MCG (Melbourne) | 1981 |
| Sunil Gavaskar / Krishnamachari Srikkanth | 191 | SCG (Sydney) | 1986 |
| Aakash Chopra / Virender Sehwag | 141 | MCG (Melbourne) | 2003 |
| Aakash Chopra / Virender Sehwag | 123 | SCG (Sydney) | 2004 |
| Yashasvi Jaiswal / KL Rahul | 100* | Perth | 2024 |
KL Rahul with Most 100+ Opening Partnerships in SENA Tests Since 2000
Rahul achieved the record for being involved in the most 100+ opening stands for India in SENA countries (South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia) since 2000. He shares this record with Virender Sehwag. Aakash Chopra, Wasim Jaffer, and Dinesh Karthik each recorded two 100+ opening stands.
Involved in most 100+ opening partnerships in SENA countries since 2000 (India)
– 3 each for Virender Sehwag & KL Rahul
– 2 each for Akash Chopra, Wasim Jaffer & Dinesh Karthik #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/PzZn5F5XiV— Cricbuzz (@cricbuzz) November 23, 2024
KL Rahul Involved in All Three 100+ Opening Stands in SENA Since 2010
In the last 14 years, India has had only three 100+ opening partnerships in SENA countries. KL Rahul has been involved in all three of these partnerships. This shows Rahul’s consistency as an opening batter for India in challenging foreign conditions.
Indian Opening Pairs with 100+ Partnerships in SENA Tests Over Last 14 Years:
| Opening Pair | Venue | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Rohit Sharma / KL Rahul | Lord’s | 2021 |
| Mayank Agarwal / KL Rahul | Centurion | 2021 |
| Yashasvi Jaiswal / KL Rahul | Perth | 2024 |