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KL Rahul has always looked like a batter born for Test cricket. His crisp drives, elegant flicks, and composed demeanour make him a purist’s delight. In the ongoing Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, the British media has cheekily dubbed him Indian cricket’s “Zen uncle” — calm, stylish, and unbothered. With 375 runs in three matches, including two centuries and a fifty, Rahul has been a standout performer.
Yet a puzzling statistic shadows his achievements: after more than 10 years in Test cricket, Rahul’s average stubbornly lingers at 35.26. For a player of his pedigree, it feels underwhelming.
From Flying Start to Form Slump
Rahul burst onto the scene in 2014-15 with a hundred in just his second Test. But between November 2017 and December 2023, he endured a prolonged lean patch, averaging just 26 in 28 Tests. Technical tinkering, like his 2018 Lord’s adjustments, fixed certain flaws but failed to make him a consistent run-machine.
Injuries and missed tours in Bangladesh 2015, South Africa 2019 further derailed his momentum, allowing others like Mayank Agarwal to stake their claims. Even his celebrated 2021 Lord’s ton didn’t fully silence those questioning his ‘bankability’ as a Test opener.
A New Chapter at 33?
This England series, however, shows a calmer Rahul, a man who has internalized his emotions and channelled them into classical performances. With 7 of his 10 Test centuries coming in SENA countries, perhaps the Karnataka batter deserves more credit for his grit in tough conditions.
At 33, time may still be on his side. If this version of Rahul endures, the elegant yet enigmatic batter might finally match his artistry with numbers worthy of his talent.
