KL Rahul A ‘Kadak’ 100 On Indian Soil After Nine Years!

KL Rahul gave another exhibition of a “Kadak” knock on a bright day of the first Test against the West Indies at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Friday. The disappointing aspect of his classy undertaking was that he went into the long interval of the second day (lunch) with an exact 100 and on resumption did not add a single to it, slap-driving with his bottom hand directing the ball into the hands of the cover folder. The right hander had demonstrated pluck and patience while facing the debutant left arm spinner Khary Pierre bowling over the wicket, but saw an opportunity to smash the experienced left armed Jomel Warrican bowling from around the wicket and tossing the ball to an inviting off stump line. Rahul whose previous Test centuries were at the Centurion (101) against South Africa and at Leeds (137) and Lord’s (100) against England, was as usual composed and thwarted the attempts of the West Indies attack that has fast bowler Jayden Seales and the experienced off spinner Roston Chase and Warrican. Decisive with his footwork, Rahul struck 12 x 4s in his 197-ball exercise in 12 minutes short of five hours in the middle to make an exact 100; his second home Test century after nearly nine years. He made 199 against England at Chepauk in December 2016. He cut and carved and executed shots in front of the wicket. More importantly he added weight to the first wicket stand of 68 with Yashasvi Jaiswal and 97 with Shubman Gill for the third wicket. Rahul had the wherewithal to keep at bay the spinners who appeared to be getting a grip on the red soil surface. It was a splendid knock from the veteran of 65 Tests -15th at home.