KL Rahul joined a unique list that includes Mohammad Azharuddin and Sunil Gavaskar after leading India in the Johannesburg Test. KL Rahul’s life has taken a 180-degree turn over the last six months with a dramatic revival of his Test career. It was only six months ago that the keeper was nowhere near making India’s first-choice XI in Tests.
In fact, the right-handed opening batter did not feature in a Test match for India for two years between 2019 and 2021. However, injuries to Shubman Gill and Mayank Agarwal gave him an unexpected opportunity to open the innings in the tour to England with Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul has not looked back since.
KL Rahul Is The First Cricketer After Mohammad Azharuddin To Lead India In Tests Before Limited Overs
After a successful series in England, where he was India’s second-highest run-scorer and scored a century at the iconic Lords cricket ground, he has firmly established himself as India’s first-choice opener. KL Rahul amassed 315 runs from eight innings and scored a marvelous 129 in the second Test at the Lord’s.
On Monday, KL Rahul captained India in Test cricket for the first time after Virat Kohli was ruled out of the second Test against South Africa due to upper back spasms. Earlier a hamstring injury led to Rohit Sharma not making the trip to South Africa and KL Rahul being elevated to the role of vice-captain.
KL Rahul has also been in a rich vein of form with the bat, scoring 123 & 23 in Centurion to help India record their first-ever Test win at the venue before top-scoring with 50 in India’s 1st innings in the 2nd Johannesburg Test.
By leading the team in Johannesburg, KL Rahul created history and joined the likes of Mohammad Azharuddin, Sunil Gavaskar, Bishan Singh Bedi, Ajit Wadekar in a unique list of Indian cricketers to have captained the Test team before leading India in limited-overs cricket. KL Rahul is the first player to do the same since Mohammad Azharuddin in 1990.
KL Rahul also has experience leading Punjab Kings for two seasons in 2020 and 2021 before he was released by the franchise ahead of IPL 2022 mega auctions.
KL Rahul To Lead India In 3 ODIs Against Proteas; Shardul Thakur’s 3 Wickets See South Africa Struggling At 102/4 At Lunch
With newly appointed ODI skipper Rohit Sharma injured, KL Rahul will lead India in the three-match ODI series against South Africa which starts on January 19 after the culmination of the Test series. Talking about the match, India had a day to forget as they were bowled out for 202 after winning the toss and batting first. With a knock of 50, KL Rahul was the top scorer while Ravichandran Ashwin made 46 important runs.
At Stump’s at the end of Day 1, South Africa is 35/1 having lost the wicket of Aiden Markram. However, KL Rahul-led India was hit by a major blow in the penultimate over of the day as pacer Mohammed Siraj pulled up injured and walked off the field but returned later on Day 2.
Shardul Thakur eventually got the wicket of South African skipper, Dean Elgar. After his wicket, the pair of Keegan Petersen and Rassie van der Dussen was tasted with some quality seam bowling and Shardul Thakur again got into the act with the wickets of Keegan Petersen and Rassie van der Dussen.
His figures read 3/8 after 4.5 overs. His effort saw South Africa reduced to 102/4 at Lunch. Temba Bavuma walked out alongside Kyle Verreynne after Lunch.