Has KL Rahul aced New Zealand challenge in ODI cricket?
What's the story
As Team India gears up for its next ODI series in New Zealand, we take a look at KL Rahul's numbers against the Kiwis. The five-match series, starting November 4 in Auckland, is crucial with the ODI World Cup less than a year away. Batters will face tough conditions as New Zealand pitches are known to favor swing bowlers. Rahul, who has been a vital cog of India's ODI team, owns two ODI tons against the Kiwis. Here are further details.
Stats
An average of 78.33
Across 11 innings of as many games against the Kiwis, Rahul has scored an impressive 470 runs at a stunning average of 78.33, according to Cricinfo.
This is the second-best average for any batsman with at least 450 runs against New Zealand.
Rahul is only behind West Indies great Gordon Greenidge (79.66).
The former also owns the third-best strike rate in this regard (109.81).
Pakistan's Shahid Afridi (130.5) and englandJos Buttler (119.54) are the ones above him.
Prowess
Two tons against the side
Rahul owns two tons and a fifty against the Kiwis.
Australia's Adam Gilchrist, his compatriot Brad Haddin, and Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara are the only other designated keepers with multiple ODI hundreds against NZ (2 each).
The Indian ace can hence become the first keeper with three ODI hundreds against NZ.
Besides Rahul, Bangladesh's Shakib Al Hasan is the only player with multiple ODI centuries versus NZ while batting at five or lower.
Rahul in New Zealand
Rahul's brilliance in NZ
Rahul has played just three ODIs on NZ soil so far - all in the 2020 series. 88*, 4, and 112 were his scores in that series.
The dasher hence has a chance to become just the second visiting keeper with multiple ODI tons in New Zealand against the hosts.
Rahul would join Gilchrist, who clocked two tons across away 18 outings in the nation.
Career
Here are Rahul's overall ODI numbers
Coming to his overall ODI stats, the Indian batter has smashed 3,541 runs at a stunning average of 51.31.
This includes nine tons, 20 fifties, and a strike rate of 92.38.
The wicketkeeper-batter averages a sensational 68.58 at number five, having tallied 1,646 runs (100s: 4).
Four of Rahul's nine ODI tons have come as a designated wicket-keeper - the joint-second-most for an Indian.