KL Rahul etched his name in the record books with a magnificent century against the West Indies at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Friday, October 3, 2025. This ton not only solidified India's position in the first Test but also saw Rahul surpass the records of former Indian captain Rohit Sharma and current head coach Gautam Gambhir in terms of Test centuries as an opener.
Resuming from an overnight score of 53, Rahul reached his century in 190 balls, propelling India past 200 in response to the West Indies' first innings total of 162. This was Rahul's 11th Test century overall, but only his second on home soil, marking a significant personal milestone after a wait of 3,211 days. His last Test hundred in India was back in December 2016 against England in Chennai, where he scored a career-best 199.
With this century, Rahul now has 10 Test centuries as an opener for India, surpassing both Rohit Sharma and Gautam Gambhir, who each have nine. Only Sunil Gavaskar (33), Virender Sehwag (22), and Murali Vijay (12) have more Test centuries as openers for India.
Rahul's journey to this milestone has been marked by versatility and a willingness to take on responsibility. Over the past few years, Rohit Sharma has been credited with setting the tone for India in white-ball cricket. In Test cricket, India has been searching for a similar figure, and Rahul has stepped up to fill that role. He has batted in various positions in the batting order, demonstrating his adaptability and commitment to the team's cause.
Rahul's recent form has been impressive. Before the West Indies series, he scored a hundred for India A against Australia A, signaling his readiness for the Test series. In the first Test against the West Indies, he once again set the pace of the innings, showing respect to the West Indies' bowlers early on and then going on the offensive once he assessed the conditions.
Aakash Chopra noted the importance of this series for Rahul, emphasizing the need for him to improve his Test average. Chopra highlighted Rahul's backfoot punch as a unique strength and expressed optimism that Rahul would elevate his average in the ongoing series.
Rahul's achievement also places him in esteemed company on the international stage. He now equals the likes of Australian legends David Boon and Bill Lawry with 13 centuries as an opener in international cricket.
The century against the West Indies not only broke personal records for Rahul but also strengthened India's position in the Test match. India reached 218/3 at lunch on Day 2, securing a 56-run lead, with Rahul unbeaten on 100 and Dhruv Jurel on 14. While Shubman Gill contributed a crucial 50, his dismissal ended a 98-run partnership with Rahul. Rahul himself was dismissed shortly after lunch for exactly 100.
