It was fitting that KL Rahul brought up his century against Mumbai Indians – his second against Rohit Sharma’s side – with a stylish backfoot cut before raising his bat and then celebrating in his trademark fashion by putting his fingers in his ears.

This was also KL Rahul’s 100th IPL game and he made it special with a fantastic century – a knock of 103* runs from 60 balls including 9 classy boundaries and 5 hard-hit sixes. Playing half the amount of balls in the innings, Rahul scored a little over half the total runs LSG managed, 199.

KL Rahul likes smashing the MI bowlers: he had started the game with an average of 66 versus the five-time champions; that average further bloated today to 76 after an unbeaten century.

As KL Rahul completed his ton wishes started to flood on Twitter. But, former England batsman Kevin Pietersen made a special tweet even before the LSG skipper had crossed the 100-run mark.

Not even an hour into the innings, Pietersen tweeted this in praise of KL Rahul: “KL Rahul is fast becoming one of my top 3 batters in the world to watch!”

Here’s Kevin Pietersen’s tweet that inducts KL Rahul as one of the very best batters in the world:

KL Rahul is fast becoming one of my top 3 batters in the world to watch!
— Kevin Pietersen? (@KP24) April 16, 2022

Without wasting time, Rahul started off the innings with a second-ball boundary to off-spinner Tilak Varma before toning himself down as Quinton de Kock scored briskly at the other end. The right-hander then tore into Tymal Mills, smashing the Englishman for couple of fours and a six.

Even as the field restrictions were lifted, he climbed into Unadkat and Murugan Ashwin, hammering them for a six each. After reaching his fifty, Rahul upped the ante, with a spate of boundaries and sixes to Mills and Fabian Allen, both of whom dished out some poor balls which Rahul duly scored off. And though MI bowlers managed to tie the LSG captain down in the death overs, he got his century with a boundary off Mills.