KL Rahul Smashes Eighth ODI Century, Rescues India from Top-Order Collapse in Rajkot

KL Rahul delivered a crucial century in the second ODI against New Zealand in Rajkot, stabilizing the Indian innings after a top-order collapse. After New Zealand elected to bowl first on a pitch expected to slow down, India lost key wickets of Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, and Shreyas Iyer relatively cheaply, leaving the team in a precarious position.

The wicketkeeper-batsman stepped in and anchored the middle order, reaching his eighth ODI century off 87 deliveries. His innings of 112 runs off 92 balls, featuring 11 fours and one six, guided India to a respectable total of 284. Rahul’s ability to absorb pressure and bat through the innings proved vital, setting a challenging target for the Black Caps on a surface that Indian captain Shubman Gill predicted would become difficult for fast-paced scoring later in the game.