In a high-profile encounter where India’s top order crumbled under pressure, KL Rahul He made 112 off 93 balls as a magnificent unbeaten batsman. His innings that saved India from a dangerous situation in the 2nd ODI against New Zealandreceived high praise from the former Indian pacer Zaheer Khan.
Speaking on Cricbuzz, the legendary fast bowler described Rahul’s knock as a matter of great “pride”, highlighting the tactical maturity he showed to guide India to a competitive total of 284/7.
Zaheer Khan praises KL Rahul’s move to take charge
According to Zaheer, the hallmark of Rahul’s innings was not just the century, but the terrible situation in which it was composed. With the first four innings returning early in the pavilion, the onus fell on Rahul to anchor the innings against a disciplined Kiwi bowling attack.
“He will be very proud of this hundred. One of the top four should have got a 100 after starting. It was not to be, but KL Rahul shouldered the responsibility very well.” said Zahir.
Zaheer emphasized that Rahul’s presence was the difference between a collapse and a run. By staying till the end, Rahul ensured that India not only survived the middle overs, but also the death overs.
Zaheer hails the crucial partnership between Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja
The defining phase of the match was the stabilization period. Zaheer pointed out the “cautious approach” taken by Rahul Ravindra Jadeja during their primary partnership. The duo realized that losing one more wicket would let New Zealand’s pacers down too early.
“He had to accept the pressure, build his innings slowly…both Rahul and Jadeja took a cautious approach at this stage” Zahir explained.
This partnership played an important role. By reining in their natural instincts, they weathered the storm, frustrated the opposition and built a platform that allowed Rahul to explode in the last ten overs.
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Effective hit rate under fire
While the early stage was all about caution, the finish was all about precision hitting. Zaheer was particularly impressed with Rahul’s strike rate of 121.74, noting that maintaining such a pace while resuming the innings is a rare feat. He further analyzed the change in India’s target expectations.
“Given the pressure of the situation, that strike rate was very impressive. At the start of the innings you were looking at 300, 300-plus, but 280-plus is something that India consider an ideal total to defend.” Zahir added.
Taking India to 284, Rahul ensured the bowlers put up a total fight and turned what looked like a certain loss into a win. According to Zaheer, this 112* will go down as one of Rahul’s best ODI knocks, characterized by guts, situational awareness and elegant execution.
