KL Rahul: Dissecting his numbers as an opener in Tests
What's the story
Veteran Indian batter KL Rahul is gearing up for the upcoming Test series against England. The five-match series starts on June 20 in Leeds. With Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli retiring from Test cricket last month, Rahul has become the most experienced batter in the squad. Meanwhile, England is among the toughest countries to open in Test cricket. On this note, we decode Rahul's numbers as an opener in India whites.
Opener stats
His overall numbers as an opener
As per ESPNcricinfo, Rahul has opened the batting for India in 48 Test matches, scoring 2,803 runs at an average of 35.03 with seven centuries and 14 fifties. His highest score is 199 against England in Chennai, back in December 2016. At home, he has opened in 15 matches and scored 869 runs at an average of nearly 40.
Away stats
Numbers in away games
Rahul has opened in 33 away Tests, scoring 1,934 runs at an average of 33.34. This includes six centuries and seven fifties. His overseas hundreds have come in England, Australia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and West Indies. Sunil Gavaskar (4,869) and Virender Sehwag (3,628) are the only other Indian openers with more runs in away Tests. Notably, Rahul is the only Indian opener with Test tons each in England, Australia, and South Africa.
Stats
Rahul's numbers in England
As an opener, Raul has managed 597 runs across eight Tests in England at 37.31. A match-winning hundred at Lord's in 2021 made Rahul the fifth Indian opener with multiple Test hundreds in England. Others on the list are Rahul Dravid, Gavaskar, Vijay Merchant, and Ravi Shastri (two each). Rahul also owns a fifty in the UK besides two tons.
Knock
A historic 149 at The Oval
Rahul played a 149-run knock in the fourth innings of the 2018 Oval Test against England. This continues to be the sixth-highest fourth-innings score by an opener on England soil. South Africa's Graeme Smith (154* in 2008) is the only other opener in this century to touch the 140-run mark while batting in the fourth innings in UK.
Career stats
His overall Test stats and performance against England
Coming to his Test career, Rahul has scored 3,257 runs at an average of 33.57 from 58 matches. He has hit eight hundreds and 17 fifties with a strike rate of 52.80. Against England specifically, he has scored 955 runs in 13 matches at an average of 39.79 with three centuries and two fifties to his name. As mentioned, his highest Test score of 199 was also recorded against the Brits in 2016.