New Delhi: There is a saying that goes like this, “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade,” and there is one Indian batsman who justified this statement during the first test match being played between India and South Africa in the SuperSport Park in centurion, and the batsman in none other than KL Rahul.
Notably, when Rahul was announced as the wicketkeeper for the team going ahead in the series, many eyebrows were up as Rahul has not been in form in red-ball cricket for quite some time now, naturally putting him under the cross hair of the critiques.
Resilience in action! 👏🏻@klrahul rose to the occasion, steering #TeamIndia through the day, with a masterful 70*. 🙌🏻
Tune-in to Day 2 of #SAvIND 1st Test
Tomorrow, 12:30 PM | Star Sports Network#Cricket pic.twitter.com/7l9ycgh22M— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) December 26, 2023
However, KL Rahul, putting all the outside noise aside, played one of his greatest test innings to take India to a respectable total on a pitch where all the Indian batsmen looked like they had no idea where the ball was going.
The Best overseas 100 by KL Rahul of THIS Career!!!
Take a bow!!
— Arnav. (@TheDrArnav) December 27, 2023
Rahul played 137 balls in his 101 runs innings while scoring 14 boundaries and four sixes.
As it happened
The start of the first test match between India and South Africa was disrupted due to rain and was delayed by 30 minutes.
The South African skipper, Temba Bavuma, won the toss and invited the men in blue to bat first.
Proteas, with the help of their pace attack, pushed India to the back foot earlier in the game as Yashasvi Jaiswal (17), Rohit Sharma (5) and Shubman Gill (2), all were removed cheaply with only 24 on the board.
Virat Kohli (38) and Shreyas Iyer (31) tried to revive the Indian innings with a sensible partnership for the fourth wicket, but Kagiso Rabada removed both batters in the span of 24 deliveries to put the pressure back on team India.
An effortless lift goes all the way for 6️⃣!#ShreyasIyer shows his class after a nervous start. How many can he make in this innings?
Tune in to #SAvIND 1st Test
LIVE NOW | Star Sports Network#Cricket pic.twitter.com/lyiKGjq9AA— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) December 26, 2023
Shardul Thakur (23) tried the counter-attacking style but soon became Rabada’s fifth victim of the innings, as the Indian innings found themselves in danger of getting removed before 200.
However, KL Rahul played a sensible innings to keep the Indian rebellion as they edged past 200 hundred runs mark to finish the Indian innings at 245.
THAT moment when @klrahul got to his half-century in Centurion. 🙌🏽 #TeamIndia #SAvIND pic.twitter.com/6O6jibCJMk
— BCCI (@BCCI) December 26, 2023
India will now hope that their bowlers can replicate what the Proteas did and give them the first innings lead.