KL Rahul proved his batting might yet again, this time with a magnificent century for India A on the opening day of the second unofficial Test match against England Lions, held at the County Ground in Northampton. The veteran batter reached the three-figure mark in 151 deliveries, his innings punctuated by 13 elegant boundaries and a powerful six. This century marks Rahul's 19th First-Class hundred overall and his first while representing India A.
The seasoned Karnataka batsman joined the India A squad for this second unofficial Test. His inclusion comes after he missed the first match due to his commitments in the recently concluded Indian Premier League with the Delhi Capitals. Notably, Rahul opened the innings alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal. This is a significant development considering the upcoming five-match Test series against England, as the Indian team is actively working to solidify its batting order following the Test retirements of two key players, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.
Yashasvi Jaiswal's innings at the top of the order alongside Rahul was short-lived, as he was dismissed after facing just 26 deliveries. Chris Woakes was the bowler who claimed his wicket, trapping the left-handed batsman plumb in front of his stumps.
Abhimanyu Eashwaran stepped in to replace the departing Jaiswal. However, the stand-in captain for the day also fell victim to Chris Woakes. The English bowler continued his impressive spell, securing his second dismissal by sending Eashwaran back to the pavilion for 11 runs off 13 balls.
Karun Nair then joined KL Rahul in the middle. While Rahul steadily built his innings and reached his half-century with some well-executed strokes, Nair's contribution was cut short. He was also dismissed by Chris Woakes after adding a valuable 40 runs in the 71 deliveries he faced.
Dhruv Jurel then came to the crease and looked to stabilize the Indian innings. He formed a solid partnership with Rahul, anchoring the innings together. Shortly before Rahul reached his magnificent triple-digit score, Jurel also celebrated reaching his half-century with a well-timed boundary.
KL Rahul's stay at the crease was cut short by George Hill at the score of 116 while Jurel returned to the hut after clocking 52 runs when India A's scoreboard read 259/5 after 64 overs.
India A's Playing XI:
Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Abhimanyu Easwaran(c), Karun Nair, Dhruv Jurel(w), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shardul Thakur, Tanush Kotian, Anshul Kamboj, Tushar Deshpande, Khaleel Ahmed
England Lions' Playing XI:
Tom Haines, Ben McKinney, Emilio Gay, Jordan Cox, James Rew(w/c), Max Holden, George Hill, Chris Woakes, Farhan Ahmed, Josh Tongue, Edward Jack