India batter KL Rahul has joined an elite club that includes the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, and many more legends. Rahul achieved this remarkable feat during the first Test between India and Bangladesh in Chennai.
During the second innings of the Chennai Test, Rahul completed 8000 runs in international cricket, becoming the latest entrant in the 8000-run club for India and the 17th Indian batter to reach this milestone.
Rahul reached the milestone with a four off the part-time left-arm spinner Mominul Haque. It was an arm ball from Mominul, but it was too short, and Rahul rocked back to smash it wide of the mid-off fielder.
KL Rahul’s performance in the Chennai Test
The 32-year-old scored an unbeaten 22 off just 19 balls with 4 fours in the second innings as Rohit Sharma announced India’s declaration at 287-4. While Rahul remained not out on 22, Shubman Gill scored an unbeaten 119 off 176 balls, smashing 10 fours and 4 sixes during his innings.
Although Rahul achieved this significant milestone, he did not have much of an impact in the match. In the first innings, he was dismissed for 16 by off-spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz, with Zakir Hasan taking a brilliant catch at short leg.
Interestingly, Rahul’s best Test score also came on the same ground. He scored 199 against England at Chepauk in 2016, contributing to India’s victory by an innings and 75 runs.
Rahul started his Test career as an opener; however, the team management is now looking at him as a middle-order batter in Test cricket. He began batting in the middle order during India’s home Test series against England earlier this year.
Rahul played the first Test of that series and scored 87 in the first innings before suffering an injury that ruled him out for the remainder of the series. The ongoing Chennai Test marks his return and he has batted at No. 6 in this match, positioned below Rishabh Pant.
Before this series, KL Rahul was in a tussle with Sarfaraz Khan for the lone middle-order spot. However, the team management trusted Rahul to get the first shot at the role.
