In a momentous innings at Ahmedabad, KL Rahul notched his first Test century on Indian soil since December 18, 2016, a staggering 3,211 days ago. To put this into perspective, nine years prior, Pat Cummins had barely scratched the surface of his Test career with fewer than 10 wickets, Jasprit Bumrah hadn’t even debuted in Test cricket, and Anil Kumble served as India’s coach. Ravindra Jadeja was the sole familiar face from today’s squad, MS Dhoni still captained India’s white-ball teams, Joe Root had yet to lead England, and Parthiv Patel, now a commentator, was behind the stumps due to a Wriddhiman Saha injury.
Indeed, it has been a considerable passage of time. This extended hiatus explains Rahul’s subdued yet deeply personal celebration upon reaching the three-figure mark against West Indies at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Known for his calm demeanor rather than extravagant gestures for personal milestones, he raised his bat to the dressing room and, in a tender tribute, placed two fingers in his mouth, likely for his daughter Evaarah (meaning ‘Gift of God’), born in March of this year.
This Ahmedabad ton marks his 11th in Test cricket overall, his second against West Indies, and his third this year alone.
Since embracing fatherhood, Rahul’s career has seen a significant upswing. He enjoyed a successful IPL season with Delhi Capitals, followed by an impressive tour of England where he amassed 532 runs in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, including two centuries. These performances solidified his position as a crucial pillar of the team, showcasing his refined technical prowess.
His productive phase began with the tour of Australia in 2024-2025. Across 11 Tests, he has accumulated 908 runs, complementing his three centuries with four half-centuries. In One Day Internationals, he has firmly established himself as a middle-order batter and finisher, excelling as a wicketkeeper so effectively that he has kept prominent players like Rishabh Pant out of major tournaments such as the ICC Champions Trophy.
However, his journey hasn’t always been smooth. Rahul faced setbacks, notably being dropped for the final two Tests against New Zealand in Pune and Mumbai after a modest showing at his then-newfound No. 6 position in Bangalore. An earlier injury during the series against England also proved untimely, especially coming just months after he became only the second visiting batter to score two centuries in Centurion, Pretoria—a notoriously challenging venue in South Africa known for its green, spiteful pitches.
The timing of his injury was particularly unfortunate, as India had opted for more batting-friendly pitches in that five-match series against England, deviating from their usual strategy of preparing turners for home wins and World Test Championship points.
Following the disappointing New Zealand series, Rahul recognized an opportunity to reclaim an opening slot in Australia due to Rohit Sharma’s paternity leave. He proactively traveled to Australia and played a couple of matches for India A, despite not being initially selected for that squad.
Throughout his decade-long career, Rahul has navigated various coaching and captaincy eras, including those led by Ravi Shastri-Virat Kohli (across Shastri’s two stints), Anil Kumble-Kohli, Rahul Dravid-Kohli, and Dravid-Rohit Sharma. He has even served as interim captain in South Africa and Bangladesh. Currently, he operates under Gautam Gambhir and Shubman Gill, taking on a senior role within the team. The frequent cycle of being dropped and then quickly recalled by successive regimes speaks volumes, suggesting a widespread acknowledgment that he is simply too valuable an asset to let go.