There perhaps could not be bigger praise for the latest century by KL Rahul in the Centurion Test against South Africa than Sunil Gavaskar’s remark that his hundred is in the top 10 best hundreds in India’s Test cricket history.
Taking India from 121/6 to 245, Rahul scored 101 runs in 137 balls, plundering 14 stylish fours and 4 daunting sixes in his superb, almost chanceless innings.
Everything was stacked against KL Rahul. India lost the toss and were asked to bat first on a green surface and under overcast conditions in Centurion against a four-man fast bowling attack led by Kagiso Rabada, who was at his best.
But Rahul, who now has six Test hundreds outside Asia, weathered every challenge and pounced on the loose balls from the South African pacers. Not to forget, this was the first time KL Rahul was playing as a designated wicketkeeper in Test cricket shouldering the responsibility in the middle-order role, having done well as an opener in the last six years in Tests.
Sunil Gavaskar lays massive praise for KL Rahul
Observing this masterclass from the commentary box was Sunil Gavaskar, who has also commented on some of the best centuries by Indian batters in Test cricket over the past few decades. For the 74-year-old, this hundred by KL Rahul ranks in the top 10 best Test centuries played by an Indian batsman.
Sunil Gavaskar said on Star Sports: “I have been watching cricket since 50 years, I can surely say this hundred by Rahul is in the Top 10 in the Indian history of Tests.”
Another experienced commentator, Harsha Bhogle, who too has been involved with cricket commentary for over three decades, lavished huge praise on Rahul. Harsha is currently in Australia, doing commentary on the Australia vs Pakistan Test series, but kept his eye on Rahul’s innings.
Harsha tweeted: “A century that KL Rahul will be extremely proud of. Everyone goes through ups and downs but this young man, as some of us have been saying for a while, is a very rare talent.”
Check out Bhogle’s tweet on Rahul:
A century that KL Rahul will be extremely proud of. Everyone goes through ups and downs but this young man, as some of us have been saying for a while, is a very rare talent.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) December 27, 2023
KL Rahul is now only the second-ever Asian designated wicketkeeper—after Rishabh Pant in 2022 in Cape Town—to raise a Test ton in South Africa.
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