KL Rahul Makes History at Lord's with Second Century
Not every day does a player crack a code set by legends, but KL Rahul did just that at Lord’s. With his second Test century at this iconic ground, Rahul’s name now sits next to Dilip Vengsarkar’s in a chapter of Indian cricket history reserved for the rarest of batsmen. His hundred—scored off 177 balls—wasn’t just a personal milestone. It helped India fight back, matching England’s hefty total of 387 in a see-saw third Test.
The Lord’s pitch gave batters very little: inconsistent bounce, cloud cover, and a challenging English seam attack. Rahul, however, combined patience and smart shot selection to master it. He started carefully, trusting his defense early and letting the new ball pass by. As the innings wore on, he stepped out of his shell, putting away loose deliveries and targeting the short boundaries. What stood out most was his adaptability. Some players wilt under pressure; Rahul seemed to feed off it.
Big Partnerships Steal the Spotlight
Rahul didn’t go it alone. His game-changing 141-run stand with Rishabh Pant lifted India from tricky waters. At a time when wickets were falling, Pant took the fight to England’s bowlers with his usual flair, scoring 74. The pair frustrated England until Pant’s rash single brought an abrupt end to their partnership—a moment that could've shifted momentum back to the hosts. Yet, Rahul then found a dependable ally in Ravindra Jadeja. The two added another vital 72 runs, and it was Jadeja’s aggressive counterpunch that ensured England couldn’t regroup with quick wickets.
Rahul reached his ton with a quiet push, acknowledging the sparse but electrified Lord’s crowd—fans who know when they've witnessed something special. This wasn't a free-flowing century; it was gritty, careful, and rooted in the tradition of Test cricket, where every run is earned. Rahul spoke post-match about understanding the situation and the pressure. “It was a very important innings in the context of the match,” he admitted, noting India's need to steady the ship after some early scares.
The game, by stumps on day three, balanced delicately. England moved to 2/0 in their second innings, setting up what promises to be a tense finish. But whatever the next days bring, Rahul’s latest century sits apart—not just for its value in this game, but because it marks him as only the second Indian to make multiple Test centuries at Lord’s. Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli might have racked up runs worldwide, but the Lord's magic has proved elusive to all but a select few.
With nine centuries already to his name, Rahul’s tenth—his second at Lord's—cements him as a man for the big occasion. And in India’s long history at the home of cricket, that’s no small achievement.