Rajkot (Gujarat) : Former Indian coach Ravi Shastri and ex-New Zealand wicketkeeper Ian Smith lauded KL Rahul for his brilliant 8th ODI century, which helped India recover in the second ODI against New Zealand on Wednesday.
Shastri highlighted Rahul’s composure under pressure, coming in at 118/4 on a slowing pitch with the ball softening, and building a crucial partnership with Ravindra Jadeja from scratch. “When he came in, it wasn’t easy. Full credit to him. He came at number five with India at 118 for four, and two newcomers at the crease. Once he got to 30–40, he opened up and played some terrific shots,” Shastri said in a video shared by BCCI on Instagram.
Ian Smith also praised Rahul’s cricketing intelligence and versatility, noting his ability to adapt to different batting positions and situations. “He’s a very mature cricketer. We’ve seen him open, bat at six, or in the middle order. He knows exactly when to accelerate and has all the shots,” Smith said.
Rahul remained unbeaten on 112* off 92 balls, including 12 fours and a six, scoring at a strike rate of 121.74. He has been prolific against New Zealand, accumulating 469 runs in 10 ODIs at an average of 93.8, including two centuries and a fifty, with his highest score being 112*.