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ENG vs IND: KL Rahul admits modest Test average still hurts but focuses on enjoying his game
India opener KL Rahul has admitted that his modest Test average still “hurts”, but insisted he is no longer focused on statistics and is instead enjoying his cricket more than ever. Rahul, who has often been under the scanner for inconsistency in the longest format, produced a sublime 137 in the second innings of the Headingley Test against England. Rahul’s ninth Test hundred – and eighth overseas – helped India stretch their second innings lead to 370, setting a daunting 371-run target for the hosts. Speaking to Sky Sports at the close of play on Day 4, the 32-year-old reflected on his mental transformation and a shift in perspective that has helped him rediscover rhythm in the game. “Of course, it hurts when I look at my average. But at this stage, I don’t want to think about numbers. I want to make an impact whenever I get a chance and enjoy playing Test cricket for India. It’s what I grew up loving,” Rahul said. Rahul, who for years has been known as a player capable of stylish starts without converting them into big scores, said he has become mentally calmer and more accepting of the game’s uncertainties. “I am just getting runs now. There was a time when I would get starts but not convert them into big scores, especially in Tests. I am much calmer in my head and not chasing numbers anymore. I just want to enjoy my cricket as much as I can,” he added. While Rahul may have distanced himself from statistical obsession, the numbers still present a compelling story. His 137 was his third century in England – the most by any Indian opener in the country – taking him past the likes of Rahul Dravid, Sunil Gavaskar and Ravi Shastri. He also extended his tally of hundreds in SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand, Australia) countries to six, underlining his overseas pedigree. ENG vs IND 1st Test Day 4 Highlights The stylish right-hander also stitched together a crucial 195-run stand with Rishabh Pant, which gave India a firm grip on the contest. In many ways, this innings marked a moment of personal redemption for Rahul, whose place in the side has often been questioned due to a fluctuating average and repeated opportunities. Rahul acknowledged that part of his growth has come from working closely with former India assistant coach Abhishek Nayar, whose influence over the past year and a half has helped him return to the basics and embrace a more grounded approach. “I have worked a lot with him, spent a lot of time with him in 15-18 months. I have gone back to basics, doing time. There was a time when I was in a quality over quantity mindset in international cricket and did not hit enough balls. Now I am back to enjoying hitting a lot of balls in the nets,” said Rahul. Rahul has predicted a dramatic Day 5 battle as India need 10 wickets to win while England must chase down the 371-run target in Leeds. “When the match started, it looked like a batting paradise and I thought it would be a draw. But now, there’s enough wear and tear and the cracks are opening up. It’s a perfect day—five wickets, and it’s going to be a blockbuster,” he said. – Ends Published By: Saurabh Kumar Published On: Jun 24, 2025
Tilak Varma and Ishan Kishan shine on County Championship debuts | Cricket News
Young Indian talents Tilak Varma and Ishan Kishan made strong statements in red-ball cricket with impressive performances on their County Championship debuts in England. Playing for Hampshire in Division One, Tilak walked in when his team was under pressure at 34 for 2 against Essex in Chelmsford. The 22-year-old displayed remarkable composure and patience, finishing unbeaten on 98 from 234 deliveries. His innings included 11 fours and three sixes, showing his ability to adapt to the longer format. He also chipped in with two tidy overs of spin, conceding just six runs.Tilak, speaking to a local BBC station after stumps, said, “I’ve wanted to play in England for three years so now I’m here I want to fulfil this opportunity.” The young batter’s calm and gritty knock under pressure shows he is eager to prove himself in the longer format too. KL Rahul press conference: On his role, being elder brother in team, role clarity and match Ishan Kishan, meanwhile, turned heads with an attacking knock for Nottinghamshire against Yorkshire. The left-handed wicketkeeper-batter struck 87 off 98 balls, laced with 12 fours and a six. Only Ben Slater, who made 96, scored more for Nottinghamshire. Kishan, signed for a short two-match stint, also made an impact behind the stumps by taking a sharp catch to dismiss opener Adam Lyth off Mohammad Abbas. Among other notable names, Jofra Archer made his long-awaited red-ball return for Sussex against Durham. The England pacer, playing his first First-Class match in four years, bowled 14 overs with six maidens and conceded just 28 runs while picking up a wicket. Archer also contributed a quick 31 off 34 balls with three fours and a six, boosting Sussex’s lower order.Quiz: Who’s that IPL player? Archer’s comeback adds an interesting twist to England’s Test plans, with the hosts currently engaged in a five-match series against India. With Tilak Varma and Ishan Kishan making the most of their opportunities, Indian youngsters are showing they can adapt to County cricket and make valuable contributions in English conditions.
KL Rahul’s ‘hurtful’ admission after going past Rahul Dravid with Leeds knock: ‘When I look at my average…’
KL Rahul has suddenly found himself bearing far more responsibility in the Indian Test team, as he graduated into being a senior player with a lot more on his table than even just 6 months prior. The retirements of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have converted him into the veteran leader of the batting unit, and that is certainly a tag he lived up to at Headingley, as he scored a graceful, in-complete-control 137 in the third innings. KL Rahul rests his head against his bat as he walks off after having scored a memorable 137 in the third innings at Leeds.(Action Images via Reuters) While Rahul’s talent and top-end quality is beyond reproach, he has often struggled with consistency and reliability through his career. Rahul is attempting to solve that issue in his game, and after a 2025 that has seen him find his groove in ODI cricket and now possibly Tests, he seems to have found the mental key for that edge. “I am just getting runs now. There was a time when I would get starts but not convert them into big scores, especially in Tests,” said KL Rahul straightforwardly to Sky Cricket after the fourth day’s play in Leeds. “I am much calmer in my head and not chasing numbers anymore. I just want to enjoy my cricket as much as I can.” KL Rahul prioritises creating an impact for India over personal accolades While Rahul’s mind may no longer be on numbers, they do now say that eight of his nine Test centuries have been scored overseas. Rahul’s opening role wasn’t nailed down, with criticism over his poor average despite repeated in the Test team often lobbed at him. However, he will have hoped to have turned a page, given the showcase he put on at Headingley. While the numbers might not be make-or-break for Rahul, he does have the distinction of being the player with the most centuries as an opener in England, this being his third of his career. He outdoes Rahul Dravid, who previously had two, as well as Sunul Gavaskar and Ravi Shastri. Rahul isn’t happy with where his average is, but he has also realised that if he plays well and finds a zone for himself, the runs and that average will follow. “Of course, it hurts when I look at my average. But at this stage, I don’t want to think about numbers. I want to make an impact whenever I get a chance and enjoy playing Test cricket for India and it’s what I grew up loving,” explained Rahul. With all the talent to be a gamechanger of a player in this Test series, it goes over to the Indian bowling unit to try and produce a result in the first Test match, with England needing a further 350 runs and India needing all 10 wickets in an incredibly balanced contest heading into day 5.
IND vs ENG: Rishabh Pant equals Sachin Tendulkar’s record, now only behind Rahul Dravid | Cricket News
Rishabh Pant (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images) Rishabh Pant continued to cement his reputation as India’s most fearless wicketkeeper-batter, notching up twin centuries in the Headingley Test and matching multiple records along the way. After scoring a fluent 134 in the first innings, Pant added another 118 in the second, becoming the first Indian to score centuries in both innings of a Test in England. He now joins India’s twin centuries club which includes Vijay Hazare, Sunil Gavaskar (three times), Rahul Dravid (twice), Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane and Rohit Sharma. Pant’s consistency in England is fast earning him a special place among India’s batting greats. His four Test hundreds in England put him alongside Sachin Tendulkar and Dilip Vengsarkar, both of whom have four Test centuries in the country. Only Rahul Dravid has more for India, with six Test tons in England. Pant’s twin hundreds also made him only the second designated wicketkeeper to achieve this feat in Test history after Zimbabwe’s Andy Flower. His match aggregate of 252 runs is the highest by an Indian wicketkeeper in a Test, breaking Budhi Kunderan’s record of 230 against England in Chennai in 1964. It is also the fourth-highest match aggregate by any wicketkeeper in Test cricket, with only Flower ahead of him. KL Rahul press conference: On his role, being elder brother in team, role clarity and match Pant’s power-hitting was on full display at Headingley as he struck nine sixes in the second innings, equalling the record for the most sixes in a Test in England alongside Andrew Flintoff and Ben Stokes.Quiz: Who’s that IPL player? Pant has also joined an elite list of visiting batters with five consecutive fifty-plus scores in England, putting him in the same bracket as Don Bradman, Hansie Cronje, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Kumar Sangakkara and Daryl Mitchell. Only Steven Smith has more, with seven. The Headingley Test was historic for India too, as the team produced five centuries in the same match for the first time. Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill and Pant scored centuries in the first innings while KL Rahul and Pant added two more in the second. After bringing up his second century, Pant brushed off Sunil Gavaskar’s playful suggestion to celebrate with a somersault, saving it for another day and instead launching a quick counterattack on Joe Root before falling for 118. Pant’s record-breaking spree in England underlines his growing stature as one of India’s most impactful batters in overseas Tests.
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IND vs ENG: ‘Straight ball hai, theke?’; Rishabh Pant’s self-check moment and twin tons light up Headingley – Watch | Cricket News
India’s Rishabh Pant (AP Photo/Scott Heppell) India vice-captain Rishabh Pant yet again proved why he is one of the most entertaining characters in world cricket, both with his audacious shots and with the conversations he has with himself in the middle. On Day 4 of the first Test against England at Headingley, Pant added another gem to his growing collection of iconic knocks overseas. After scoring a masterful 134 in the first innings, he stitched a momentum-shifting 195-run partnership with KL Rahul in the second innings and brought up his second century of the match, becoming the first Indian to score twin tons in a Test in England. While Pant’s flamboyance is well-known, what caught the stump mic and the cameras was his candid reminder to himself during one of his adventurous attempts against Shoaib Bashir. Eyeing another innovative stroke, Pant muttered, “Straight ball hai, Rishabh aise yeh jaroori nahi hai theke? Marna hai to seedha lag jayega na iss ball pe zabardasti with the wind try kare jaa raha hai.”This self-advice came as he was trying to reverse scoop a delivery that did not warrant such a shot. Moments later, Pant calmed himself down and returned to a more traditional approach, eventually steering India towards a massive lead. KL Rahul press conference: On his role, being elder brother in team, role clarity and match Pant’s 118 off 140 balls in the second innings secured his place in an elite club. He became only the second designated wicketkeeper after Andy Flower to notch hundreds in both innings of a Test. He also matched the record for the most sixes in a Test innings in England, hitting nine maximums, a feat previously achieved by Andrew Flintoff and Ben Stokes.Quiz: Who’s that IPL player? His innings pushed his tally in England to 808 runs from 10 Tests at an impressive average above 42. His match total of 252 runs is now the highest for a wicketkeeper in a Test in England, surpassing Alec Stewart’s 204 against South Africa in 1998. After reaching his milestone, batting legend Sunil Gavaskar asked Pant to celebrate with a somersault. Pant, however, gave his trademark grin and saved the flip for another day. He instead continued his charge, smacking Joe Root for a mix of unconventional sweeps and classical lofted drives before falling for 118, caught by Zak Crawley. While India’s lower order folded quickly, Pant and Rahul’s fireworks gave India a massive cushion, leaving England to chase 371 on a wearing Headingley surface. Fans will remember this innings not just for the runs but also for Pant’s honest, almost comic self-talk that reflects the genius and unpredictability that define him.
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I’ve enjoyed the opener’s role: Rahul
Eight of Rahul’s nine Test hundreds have come at the top of the order. | Photo Credit: ANI In the last 18 months, K.L. Rahul has batted at four different positions in Tests. Perhaps, being an immensely talented batter in a line-up filled with legends and stalwarts has this outcome, for that is probably the only way to shoe-horn you in. But Rahul is at his best as an opener, a position where eight of his nine centuries have come, including the 137 (247b, 18×4) against England at Headingley on Monday. “In the last couple of years, I have forgotten what my position is,” Rahul said after the day’s play. “But I am happy to be given the responsibility [of batting at different positions]. It makes the game exciting and I can challenge myself. “The last couple of series, I have opened and I have enjoyed that. All of my early years I have been an opener and I am happy to be back.” In the 2024-25 Australia tour, the 33-year-old got five decent starts across 10 innings, but couldn’t score big. The second-innings century in Leeds, after the 42 in the first essay, would have come as a relief. “I was happy with the way I was batting in Australia but unhappy that I couldn’t convert. But that’s how the game goes. I learnt and made sure that once I get a start, I make it count.” Rahul said that he was also enjoying the role of being the seniormost batter in the current set-up. “Even with Virat [Kohli] and Rohit [Sharma], there was a culture where everyone helped each other. I have been in those situations myself where I have spoke to Virat ahead of series in England and Australia. “So the atmosphere in the dressing room is relaxing. And there are conversations like what to expect in Leeds, Lord’s… and we try and use that information.” Looking ahead to Tuesday, Rahul stated that he would have been happier with “40 to 50 runs more” but expressed hope that 370 runs will be enough. “There is definitely a result. England have said that openly. That gives us the opportunity to take wickets. It is a tricky pitch. I didn’t feel set at all while batting. It has taken a beating and it may break even more”. Published – June 24, 2025 12:48 am IST