What is KL Rahul's record as an opener in Test cricket?
Team India captain Rohit Sharma has confirmed that KL Rahul will continue to open the innings with Yashasvi Jaiswal in the second Test of the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia, which begins in Adelaide on Friday, December 6. Rohit missed the first Test in Perth to be with the family for the birth of his second child. In his absence, Rahul opened the innings in the first Test.
The 32-year-old, who had been dropped for the last two Tests against New Zealand at home, grabbed his opportunity with both hands, registering scores of 26 & 77. Significantly, the right-handed batter demonstrated the technique to tackle the awkward bounce in Perth.
In the wake of his impressive batting efforts in the first Test, a debate began as to where Rohit should bat when he returns to the playing XI for the pink-ball Test in Adelaide. While some critics reckoned that the captain should return to the top of the order, a few others urged the visitors to continue backing Rahul as an opener.
While Rahul did not give away much in his press conference, Rohit ended the suspense on the eve of the Test match and confirmed:
"K.L. Rahul will open, I will bat somewhere in the middle order."
On that note, let's take a closer look at Rahul's record as an opener in Test matches.
How KL Rahul has fared as an opener in Test matches
Rahul has opened the batting for India in 45 Test matches. As an opening batter, he has scored 2,654 runs at an average of 35.38, with seven tons to his credit.
At home, the right-handed batter has opened in 15 matches in which he has scored 869 runs at an average of 39.50, with one hundred. He was dismissed for 199 against England in Chennai in December 2016, which remains his highest Test score. In away Tests, Rahul has opened in 30 matches, scoring 1,785 runs at an average of 33.67, with six hundreds.
Of his six away Test tons as an opener, two have come in England and one each in Australia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and West Indies. The elegant batter scored 110 in Sydney in January 2015, 149 at The Oval in September 2018, and 129 at Lord's in August 2021. Rahul also scored a sublime 123 in Centurion in December 2021.
Looking specifically at the batter's record as an opener in Tests in Australia, he has 286 runs to his name from five Tests at an average of 31.77. Apart from his hundred in Sydney in 2015, he scored 44 in Adelaide in December 2018 and 77 in Perth in the first Test of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
In winning causes as Test opener, Rahul has notched up 1,692 runs at an average of 36.78, with the aid of four hundreds. He scored 108 against Sri Lanka in Colombo in August 2015. The Karnataka batter's tons against England in Chennai (December 2016), against England at Lord's (August 2021), and against South Africa in Centurion (December 2021) also came in winning causes.
Looking at Rahul's stats as an opener in losing causes in Test cricket, he has played 10 matches in which he has scored 413 runs at a poor average of 20.65, with a best of 149. His only Test century as an opener in a losing cause came when he scored 149 against England at The Oval in September 2018. Chasing a target of 464, the visitors ended up losing the Test by 118 runs.
Rahul's record at other batting positions in Test cricket
Rahul has batted at the No. 3 position in four matches in Test cricket. He has struggled while batting at the one-down slot, scoring 88 runs at an average of 17.60. His best of 54 at No. 3 came against Afghanistan at his home ground in Bengaluru in June 2018. Rahul batted at No. 3 in the second innings of his debut Test against Australia in Melbourne in December 2014 and was dismissed for one.
KL Rahul’s Test record in different batting positions
(Note: In some Tests, Rahul has batted at different positions in the two innings)
The elegant right-hander has batted at the No. 4 position in only one Test and excelled in the game. He scored 86 against England in Hyderabad in January 2024 and followed it up with 22 in the second innings. Rahul has batted at No. 6 in six Tests, scoring 234 at an average of 29.25. His best at the position came when he scored 101 against South Africa in Centurion in December 2023.