KL Rahul produced one of his finest ODI knocks to rescue India from a shaky position and script history in the second ODI against New Zealand at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot.
On a surface where shot-making
wasn't always straightforward and wickets fell regularly around him, Rahul stayed composed to compile a superb unbeaten 112, guiding India to a competitive 284/7 on Wednesday.
Walking in at No. 5 with India looking to rebuild after a couple of early setbacks, Rahul began with patience, absorbing pressure as New Zealand's bowlers found movement and rhythm. His first six deliveries yielded no runs, but once he got going, he mixed caution with controlled aggression. The dismissal of Virat Kohli for 23 added to India's concerns, but Rahul stood firm, slowly shifting momentum back in India's favour.
One of the turning points came during his 73-run stand with Ravindra Jadeja. Though Jadeja contributed 27, the partnership allowed India to stabilise at a crucial stage. Later, Nitish Kumar Reddy offered valuable support as Rahul continued to build the innings with maturity and precision. Rahul reached his hundred in 87 balls, eventually finishing on 112* off 103 deliveries, striking 11 boundaries and one towering six - the one that sealed his milestone, launched over the ropes off a full toss from Kyle Jamieson in the 49th over.
Rahul's effort didn't just revive India's innings; it also added a new chapter to his personal record book. He became the first designated Indian wicketkeeper-batter to score an ODI century against New Zealand, eclipsing the previous best held by MS Dhoni. The century also made him the first Indian batter to hit an ODI hundred in Rajkot, adding rarity and significance to his achievement.
In testing conditions and under pressure, Rahul's innings stood out for its temperament. His knock played a pivotal role in giving India a total that looked competitive and, given the pitch behaviour, potentially match-defining.
