KL Rahul nears 9000 international runs, eyes milestone at Lord’s

London [UK], July 9 (ANI): India’s experienced batter KL Rahul is closing in on a major career milestone, just 199 runs away from reaching 9000 international runs. With the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground hosting the third Test against England, Rahul will be eager to achieve the feat at the “Home of Cricket."

So far, Rahul has accumulated 8801 runs from 217 international matches across formats. In the longest format, the 33-year-old has played 60 Tests, amassing 3493 runs with nine centuries to his name. His career-best Test score of 199 came against England.

In One Day Internationals (ODI), Rahul has featured in 85 matches, scoring 3043 runs, including seven centuries. His highest score of 112 came against New Zealand. He has also been a force in T20 Internationals (T20I), where he has scored 2265 runs in 72 matches, including two centuries, with a top score of an unbeaten 110 against West Indies.

Rahul made his international debut in 2014 against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Over the years, he has adapted to various roles in India’s batting order but has found consistent success as an opener. His recent knock of 137 in the first Test against England at Headingley further underlined his form and value to the team.

Having been in impressive touch throughout the England tour, Rahul will look to continue his run in the third Test at Lord’s and hopes to bring up the 9000-run milestone on one of the grandest stages in world cricket.

Rahul has played 2 Test matches at Lord’s, where he has scored 152 runs, and made one century.

Coming to the second Test match, England once again opted to field first. After getting KL Rahul (2) early, a 80-run stand between Yashasvi Jaiswal (87 in 107 balls, with 13 fours) and Karun Nair (31 in 50 balls, with five fours) helped India gain some footing in the match. Skipper Shubman Gill had valuable partnerships of 203 runs with Ravindra Jadeja (89 in 137 balls, with 10 fours and a six) and a 144-run stand against Washington Sundar (42 in 103 balls, with three fours and a six), helping India towards 587, scoring 269 in 387 balls himself, with 30 fours and three sixes.

Shoaib Bashir (3/167) was the pick of the bowlers for England, while Chris Woakes and Josh Tongue also managed two each.

In England’s first innings, India had them on the ropes with 84/5. However, a 303-run stand between Harry Brook (158 in 234 balls, with 17 fours and a six) and wicketkeeper-batter Jamie Smith (184* in 207 balls, with 21 fours and four sixes) sent India on an endless hunt for leather and answers. However, Siraj (6/70) and Akash Deep (4/88) got something out of the new ball and tumbled down the last five wickets for 20 runs, bundling them down for 407 runs, gaining a 180-run lead.

India’s response was a swift half-century partnership between Jaiswal (28 in 22 balls, with six fours) and KL Rahul, who also continued his good run with a 10-boundary-filled 55 in 84 balls. A 110-run stand for the fourth wicket between Rishabh Pant (65 in 58 balls, with eight fours and three sixes) and Gill upped the attack, while Gill managed yet another epic 175-run stand with Jadeja, scoring 161 in 162 balls, with 13 fours and eight sixes. Jadeja scored an unbeaten 69* in 118 balls, with five fours and a six. India declared at 427/6, leading by 607 runs and setting England a monstrous 608 runs to win.

During the run-chase, England was restricted to 50/3. Jamie Smith (88 in 99, with nine fours and four sixes) was the only glimmer of hope for England as they were skittled out for just 271 runs, losing by 336 runs, thanks to a brilliant spell from Akash Deep (6/99), who ended up taking a ten-fer. (ANI)

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