KL Rahul played a fantastic knock at Northampton yesterday afternoon. His century helped India A recover from early trouble against England Lions. The experienced batsman looked comfortable right from the start of his innings.
This was the second practice match between India A and England Lions. The County Ground in Northampton hosted this important game before the series. Both teams wanted to win this match quite badly.
England Lions decided to bowl first after winning the toss. India A promoted KL Rahul to open alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal. The team management wanted to try this new opening combination.
Chris Woakes bowled really well in the first hour of play. He got Jaiswal out for just 17 runs with good bowling. Captain Abhimanyu Easwaran also fell cheaply for only 11 runs.
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India A found themselves in serious trouble at that point. The team needed someone to stay there and build partnerships. Rahul stepped up when his team needed him most.
KL Rahul’s Match-Winning Performance
Rahul batted for a long time and scored 116 runs. He faced 168 balls and hit 15 boundaries plus one six. The right-handed batsman reached his century in the 56th over.
This was Rahul’s third century on English soil so far. He knows how to bat in these conditions very well. His experience of playing in England helped him a lot.
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Strong Partnership with Dhruv Jurel
Dhruv Jurel joined Rahul and they put on 121 runs together. Jurel played his natural game and scored 52 runs off 87 balls. He has been in good form throughout this tour.
In the first practice match, Jurel scored 94 and 53 runs. His consistent performances have impressed the team management quite a bit. The young wicketkeeper is pushing for a national team spot.
George Hill bowled well and dismissed both batsmen in quick succession. Emilio Gay caught Rahul’s shot to end his brilliant innings. The Northampton crowd clapped loudly for Rahul’s fine batting performance.
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Jurel also fell to Hill shortly after reaching his half-century. Both players had done their job by then though. They gave India A a strong position in this match.
Upcoming Test Series Schedule (India vs England)
- 1st Test: June 20–24, 2025 – Headingley, Leeds
- 2nd Test: July 2–6, 2025 – Edgbaston, Birmingham
- 3rd Test: July 10–14, 2025 – Lord’s, London
- 4th Test: July 23–27, 2025 – Old Trafford, Manchester
- 5th Test: July 31–August 4, 2025 – The Oval, London
Rahul has played 58 Tests for India and scored 3,257 runs. His average of 33.57 shows he’s a reliable Test batsman. In England, he averages 34.11 from nine Test matches played.
This century comes at the perfect time for Rahul’s career. The main Test series against England starts very soon. His good form will give the selectors confidence in him.
