India v/s England: Rahul falls 1 short of 200

The worth of KL Rahul was in full view on Sunday. He has earned the right to walk into the playing 11 straightaway whenever fit. So, when the 24-year-old was away recuperating from the hamstring that has been troubling him off and on, his regular opening partner Murali Vijay had to adjust with different partners this season.

However, in the fifth and final Test here, it was Rahul who had to make the adjustment when he had to open with Parthiv Patel after Vijay was getting treated for a bruised left shoulder sustained while fielding on Saturday.

Rahul, playing his second Test on the trot this series after missing the Mohali game following an injury he picked up during the second Visakhapatnam Test, scored his fourth century. It was also his career best – 199 – in his 12th appearance as India gave a fitting reply – 391/4 – to England's first innings total of 477.

Having worked hard to score one less of maiden Test double century, the Karnataka opener had only himself to blame for missing it when he chased a wide Adil Rashid delivery and ended up giving point fielder Jos Buttler a simple catch.
His reaction of dropping the bat, squatting on the pitch with hands on his helmet and staring at what he had just done meant how much he regretted playing that shot to a poor delivery.

Rahul has only shown great maturity with every international innings that he has played. That he was walking out with a new partner did not really bother him. In fact, the two batting as if they have been opening together all their lives while raising the first century stand for India for that position in 18 months.

Resuming at overnight score of 60 without loss, Patel and Rahul kept themselves busy as the England captain Alastair Cook occupied himself in his own way of making frequent bowling changes, giving his operators spells of four to six overs with only off-spinner Moeen Ali and left-armer debutant Liam Dawson having extended spells of eight and nine overs, respectively.

As has been a common feature in this series, Cook was often left wondering as to where the next wicket would come as India made great use of the fine batting conditions that the Chepauk pitch had to offer for the third successive day. Rahul and Patel began India's reply on Saturday evening in a brisk fashion. They showed the positive intent and kept the scoreboard busy.
It was the same on Sunday morning with Rahul dancing down the track to dismiss Dawson on the on-side for two sixes. He also used reverse sweep against Moeen Ali effectively as the England bowlers – pacers and spinners alike – did not know how to silence them.

Patel scored his second successive fifty in his promoted slot as an opener. It was also his Test best. A maiden century was on the cards when he fell playing against the spin of Ali. A similar shot a couple of deliveries earlier fetched him a boundary but this time, he ended up top-edging to cover.

Perhaps, the only other mistakes that came from the Indian batsmen were their top two leading scorers of the series, Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli. Pujara guided a Stokes delivery outside off into Cook's hands at lone slip while Kohli was induced by Broad into driving straight to short cover Keaton Jennings.

England may have fancied their chances when they dismissed the two leading batsmen within 10 overs of each other but they were forced into retrieving the balls from the boundary often as the Karnataka pair of Rahul and Karun Nair raised 161 for the fourth wicket. Rahul's fitness was tested and proved he was supremely fit and had no concerns of hamstring or pain in forearm while playing with ease off the front and back foot. His century conversion rate is also impeccable. Every time Rahul has scored a Test fifty, he has converted it into a century, with the exception being St Lucia when he fell for 50.

Nair settled down well in his Karnataka team-mate's company to notch up his maiden Test fifty in his third Test. Nair grew in confidence in the company of his more experienced Test partner. The two have had many a big partnership for their state, playing together from 11 years of age. It was just an extension of the same at the international level with Rahul and 25-year-old Nair keeping England on the field the whole day the visitors had anticipated the hard work they had to endure.