Ahmedabad: Indian cricket star KL Rahul added another remarkable milestone to his illustrious career in the first Test against the West Indies, scoring a century in India’s dominant first innings. Rahul was dismissed after reaching exactly 100 runs, joining an elite group of batsmen while breaking a record that has stood for nearly a century and a half.
Batting on an Indian pitch in Ahmedabad, Rahul’s 100 came as part of a commanding Indian total of 448 for five, declared strategically to press for an innings victory against the West Indies, who had managed only 162 runs in their first innings. Alongside Rahul, wicketkeeper-batsman Dhruv Jurel (125) and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja (104*) also notched centuries, marking a day of batting brilliance for India.
What makes Rahul’s feat historic is the rarity of the achievement. In the 148-year history of cricket, no player had ever been dismissed for exactly 100 runs twice in a single calendar year until Rahul. Earlier this year, he had been dismissed on 100 during the Lord’s Test against England, making this his second instance. With this, Rahul became only the seventh batsman globally to be dismissed on exactly 100 twice in a career, underlining both his consistency and his uncanny precision at reaching the milestone.
This century also marked Rahul’s 11th Test hundred and only the second on Indian soil. Notably, it has been nine years since he last scored a Test century on home pitches, making this achievement a significant personal and professional milestone.
While cricket fans celebrated the milestone, analysts noted the unusual nature of being dismissed on exactly 100 a score often considered the hallmark of batting success, yet one that can elude even the best players. Rahul’s ability to reach this mark twice in one year speaks volumes of his skill, temperament, and adaptability across diverse playing conditions.
India’s emphatic innings, bolstered by Rahul’s century, set up an innings and 140-run victory over the West Indies, giving the hosts a 1-0 lead in the two-match series and a strong psychological advantage heading into the second Test in Delhi from October 10.