KL Rahul Marks Test Comeback with Impressive Century, Sustains Centuries Streak in SENA Conditions

In difficult conditions at Centurion on Wednesday, Indian wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul finally completed his Test cricket comeback with an aggressive century against South Africa. After a spell of poor Test form, KL emerged victorious on a hard Centurion surface. Reaching the crease at 92/4, the middle-order batsman batted with lower middle-order and lower-order batsmen for the majority of his knock to record an innings-long comeback tonne. With 14 fours and 4 sixes in 137 balls, he struck at a strike rate exceeding 75. He scored 101. With his century of 123 at Centurion in 2021, KL became the first visiting batter to score multiple hundreds at the ground. KL is the fourth Asian batter in South Africa to score at least two hundreds: Azhar Mahmood of Pakistan, Thilan Samaraweera of Sri Lanka, and Virat Kohli of India. With 500, Sachin Tendulkar is the leader.

KL has played six Test matches in South Africa, scoring 357 runs at an average of 32.45, including two tonnes and a fifty in eleven innings. With five of his eight Test centuries coming in these conditions, the batsman has excelled for India in tough SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia) conditions. Australia has reached its 100th century, and England has reached its second. KL Rahul and the Boxing Day Test continue to have a unique bond. KL made his Test debut on Boxing Day at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), but he was unable to leave an impression. KL hit 123 and 23 in his next Boxing Day Test at Centurion in 2021, leading India to a 113-run victory over South Africa.

When the game started, SA made India bat first. The pacers struggled and eventually reduced India to 24/3. After that, India was rescued by a partnership between Virat Kohli (38 in 64 balls, five fours) and Shreyas Iyer (31 in 50 balls, three fours, and a six), which added 68 runs.

Later, KL Rahul’s strong 70* in 105 balls, with 10 fours and two sixes, and a quick counterattack by Shardul Thakur (24 in 33 balls, with three balls) helped India reach 208/8 at the end of the first day. On the second day, KL hammered his century and led India to 245 all out. Proteas wickets included Kagiso Rabada (5/44) Nandre Burger (3/50) and Marco Jansen (1/52). Gerald Coetzee secured a wicket as well.