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Veteran batter KL Rahul scored his ninth Test hundred as he joined forces with Rishabh Pant to help India set a target of 371 in the series opener at Headingley, Leeds. After Day 4's play, Rahul revealed that he is done chasing milestones. He feels he has become much calmer and foucsed on getting runs.
“I am just getting runs now. There was a time when I would get starts but not convert them into big scores, especially in Tests. I am much calmer in my head and not chasing numbers anymore. I just want to enjoy my cricket as much as I can,” the opener told Sky Sports.
Rahul's focus - 'back to basics'
Rahul credited India's assistant coach Abhishek Nayar for helping him get back to basics over the course of an year and a half. He said that he made changes in his preparation as well.
“I have spent a lot of time with him in the last 15-18 months. I went back to basics. Earlier, I focused too much on quality over quantity and did not spend enough time hitting balls. Now, I enjoy spending long hours in the nets,” the 33-year-old added.
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Rahul has been in fine form across formats. In the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, he played the perfect role of finisher. He is eyeing his T20 comeback as well. For Delhi Capitals (DC), he was the highest run-scorer in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025.
Rahul on his batting average
However, in Test cricket, Rahul's numbers are not impressive. He revealed that seeing his average (below 35) in Test cricket is disappointing but his current focus on making an impact for India in the format he loves playing.
“Of course, it hurts when I look at my average. But at this stage, I don’t want to think about numbers. I want to make an impact whenever I get a chance and enjoy playing Test cricket for India and it’s what I grew up loving,” he said.
Game poised between India and England
After the 42-run knock in the first innings, Rahul scored 137 runs from 247 balls, including 18 fours. He was dismissed by Brydon Carse in the final session of Day 4. He dragged the ball on to his stumps. Rahul and Pant shared a 195-run partnership that steadied India's second innings. After Rahul's wicket, India could add just 31 runs on the board as they were bowled out for 364. England were 21 for no loss at Day 4, Stumps. They need 350 runs on Day 5 to win the opening Test.
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