In his 58-match Test career, KL Rahul has had his share of ups and downs. One consistent thread through it all is that he hasn’t had a series where he dominated from the first Test to the last. The Indian Express takes a look at series of three or more Tests where Rahul either started slowly before ending it on a high note or ones he began on a resounding note only to fade away.
It was a phase where he had to fight it out with M Vijay and Shikhar Dhawan for a place at the top of the order. In this series, he started with two single-digit scores at Galle before scoring his second century at P Sara Oval before ending the series with two single digit scores. His series tally read: 6 innings, 126 runs at an average of 21 with a high score of 108.
In Caribbean (2016)
Second Test: 158
Third Test: 50 & 28
Fourth Test: DNB
The merry-go-round continued even a year later, where after missing the first Test, Rahul started in Jamaica scoring 158 in a drawn fixture. In the next outing in Gros Islet he scored 50 and 28, showing signs of nailing a spot at the top. And going into the 2016/17 home season where India faced New Zealand, England and Australia, he started as the first-choice.
Vs England (2016)
Second Test: 0 & 10
Fourth Test: 24
Fifth Test: 199
An injury made him miss two Tests against New Zealand, and on his return to the squad for the series against England he struggled to get going immediately. In Vizag and Mumbai he scored 0, 10 and 24 before scoring a career-best 199 at Chennai, setting himself to finish the home season on a high.
Vs Australia (2017)
First Test: 64 & 10
Second Test: 90 & 51
Third Test: 67
Fourth Test: 60 & 51*
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For the first time since Sri Lanka, Rahul played all the matches in a series. Scores of 64, 10, 90, 51, 67, 60, and 51* established his class at the top, but unfortunately, he didn’t convert the fifties into big centuries, particularly when India played on traditional home decks with Pune being the lone exception. He finished with an average of 65.50 with 6 fifties in 7 innings, as it proved to be one of his best series.
In England (2018)
First Test: 4 & 13
Second Test: 8 & 10
Third Test: 23 & 36
Fourth Test: 19 & 0
Fifth Test: 37 & 149
By the time he headed for his first England tour, expectations were high. With a compact technique and a good game against pace and spin, much was expected of him. In conditions where there was seam movement throughout the tour, he had a poor start with the 36 in the second innings in Nottingham being his highest heading into the final Test at the Oval. With the series already lost, Rahul came good only in the final innings of the tour, scoring 149 as he battled hard to salvage a draw. His dismissal sealed a defeat as India lost the series 1-4 with Rahul averaging 29.90.
In Australia (2018/19)
First Test: 2 & 44
Second Test: 2 & 0
Fifth Test: 9
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With Rahul continuing to blow hot and cold, and Dhawan and Vijay too not giving returns, India now had Mayank Agarwal and Prithvi Shaw as back-ups. He started the first Test as opener, but by the time the Boxing Day Test happened he was warming the bench as he had only scores of 2, 44, 2, 0 to show. He came back to play the New Year’s Test, but made only 9 in the only innings he batted.
In England (2021)
First Test: 84 & 26
Second Test: 129 & 5
Third Test: 0 & 8
Fourth Test: 17 & 46
He started the last England tour on a resounding a note with 84 and 26 in Nottingham, providing assurance at the top with Rohit Sharma. Then in the second Test at Lord’s, Rahul scored a splendid 129 in the first innings showing great discipline to set up a famous win for India. It appeared he had finally cracked the consistency code, evolving into a reliable batsman. But that proved to be another false dawn as he scored only 0, 8, 17 & 46 in the next two Tests.
In South Africa (2021-22)
First Test: 123 & 23
Second Test: 50 & 8
Third Test: 12 & 10
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Now a central figure in India’s lineup, he started the tour with his first of two centuries in Centurion, on a track where the ball seamed around with variable bounce in play. That didn’t deter Rahul who stood tall to score 123 as India took a 1-0 lead in the series. He started with 50 in Johannesburg as well, but from there on he had only scores of 8, 12 and 10 to show as South Africa rallied to win the series.
In Australia (2024/25)
First Test: 26 & 77
Second Test: 37 & 7
Third Test: 84 & 4*
Fourth Test: 24 & 0
Fifth Test: 4 & 13
By now, he was no longer the regular opener. Following an upswing in batting charts in ODIs where he batted in the middle-order, Rahul was picked as a middle-order batsman. But with Rohit unavailable for the first Test, he started as an opener, scoring 26 & 77 in the victory at Perth. And in the next four Tests that he featured, the 84 in the first innings at Gabba happened to be his highest as he struggled to convert the starts again, ending the series with an average of 30.66.