KL Rahul scores 5th Test century, joins Sunil Gavaskar, Shikhar Dhawan in elite club

KL Rahul slammed his fifth Test century on the fifth and final day of the last Test against England at the Oval in London.

Rahul kept India’s hopes alive even though the visitors have already lost the series 3-1. KL Rahul’s fine century took India to 167 for 5 at lunch on day five, with India still trailing England by 296 runs. The 26-year old becomes just the third opener to score a hundred in the fourth innings of a Test match after Sunil Gavaskar and Shikhar Dhawan.

#Indian openers to score a century in 4th innings away Test:

Gavaskar v WI, Bridgetown,1971
Gavaskar v WI, Port of Spain,1976
Gavaskar v Aus, Brisbane,1977
Gavaskar v Eng,The Oval,1979
S Dhawan v NZ,Auckland,2014@klrahul11 v England,The Oval, 2018*#ENGvIND #KLRahul @BCCI pic.twitter.com/cGndRIQy41

— Sagar Vetal (@sugarzback) September 11, 2018

It has taken KL Rahul 28 innings and 20 months to score a hundred. His last century was against the same opposition in December 2016.

Finally a Test 100 for L Rahul after 28 innings and 20 months!
His last was the 199 he made against England at Chennai in Dec 2016#EngvInd

— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) September 11, 2018

However, while Rahul converted four of his first five instances of crossing the 50-run mark in hundreds, he took 11 more 50-plus scores to convert it into a century.

Fifth Test Century for KL Rahul

One in Australia
One in Sri Lanka
One in West Indies
One in India
One in England

— Broken Cricket (@BrokenCricket) September 11, 2018

Rahul batted positively in the innings with his strike rate almost touching 90 at times. His attitude and style of play got some praise.

Fabulous century, full of bold, even audacious shots, from KL Rahul. Maybe this style is indeed the way ahead for him.

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) September 11, 2018

An absolutely brilliant hundred from KL Rahul. Full of class and exemplary stroke play.

— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) September 11, 2018

Rahul has had a miserable Test series so far with bat. However, he had created one record in the field.

On Monday, Rahul caught Ben Stokes to surpass former Indian captain Rahul Dravid’s record of most number of catches for India in a series. With a total of 14 catches, he overtook Dradvid’s record which came against Australia in the 2004-5 series. He also managed to draw level Greg Chappell’s 14 catches, taken in six Tests during the 1974-75 Ashes.