Rajkot, India - KL Rahul's masterful century propelled India to a total of 284/7 against New Zealand in the second ODI at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot on Wednesday. Rahul's unbeaten 112 off 92 balls, decorated with 11 fours and one six, was the cornerstone of the Indian innings, rescuing the team after a middle-order stutter. His innings not only showcased his exceptional batting skills but also his remarkable composure under pressure.
India won the toss and elected to bat first. Openers Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill provided a solid start, stitching together a 70-run partnership. Gill continued his impressive form, notching up a fluent 56. However, New Zealand's spinners, led by Michael Bracewell and Kristian Clarke, applied the brakes, stifling the run flow in the middle overs. Clarke eventually dismissed Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Shreyas Iyer. Kohli (23) and Ravindra Jadeja (27) got starts but failed to convert them into substantial scores.
KL Rahul then took charge, building crucial partnerships to steady the ship. He added 73 runs with Ravindra Jadeja for the fifth wicket, providing stability to the innings. Rahul then accelerated in the final overs, displaying his full range of strokes. He reached his century in style, smashing Kyle Jamieson for a six over mid-on in the second-last over. This was Rahul's 8th century in ODIs and his first in the format after two years. It was also his 21st international century overall.
Rahul's innings was particularly significant as he surpassed Mohammad Azharuddin's record of seven ODI centuries, achieving the feat in just 93 matches. He also became the first Indian to score an ODI century at this ground, surpassing Shikhar Dhawan's previous best.
Nitish Kumar Reddy (20 off 21) and Harshit Rana (unspecified score)contributed valuable cameos towards the end, helping India reach a competitive total. Kristian Clarke was the pick of the New Zealand bowlers, claiming 3 wickets for 56 runs. Jayden Lennox also impressed on debut, taking 1 wicket for 42 runs.
India will now look to their bowlers to defend the total of 284 on what appears to be a tricky surface with variable bounce. New Zealand will need one of their batsmen to replicate Rahul's effort if they are to chase down the target and level the series.
