Former India coach Ravi Shastri has stepped in to set the record straight about KL Rahul’s Test career, addressing a long-standing misconception about the star batter’s role and consistency in the lineup.
Following Rahul’s remarkable century on Day 2 of the opening Test against the West Indies at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Shastri praised the right-hander’s form but clarified that contrary to popular belief, Rahul has been a consistent Test opener for most of his career.
Many fans have assumed that KL Rahul’s inconsistency in the longer format is due to him being shuffled between different batting positions. However, Shastri pointed out that since 2016, Rahul has opened in 94 out of 110 Test innings, making him a regular at the top of the order.
“It’s a misconception that KL Rahul has been moved around in the batting order. If you look closely at his career, since 2016 he has opened 94 innings out of 110. That’s almost 90 percent of the time,” Shastri said during commentary.
The former coach added that much of the confusion comes from Rahul’s varied roles in white-ball cricket, where he often bats in the middle order. “It’s because of his flexible role in limited-overs formats that people get mixed up,” Shastri explained.
Rahul, who has emerged as one of India’s most dependable red-ball batters post the retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, registered his 11th Test century with a composed 100 off 197 balls, hitting 12 boundaries. His knock anchored India’s first-innings total and reinforced his reputation as a reliable top-order player.
Despite the strong start, Rahul lost concentration early in the post-lunch session, falling to Jomel Warrican right after reaching the century mark. Still, his innings set the tone for India’s dominance in the match.
By the end of Day 2, India had built a commanding 286-run lead, thanks to further centuries from Dhruv Jurel and Ravindra Jadeja, who remained unbeaten on 104. Earlier, a four-wicket burst from Mohammed Siraj helped India dismiss the West Indies for 162 in their first innings.
Rahul’s recent resurgence, following a period of scrutiny and injuries, marks a new phase in his career — one defined by confidence, consistency, and composure. And with Ravi Shastri’s clarification, fans now have a clearer picture of the numbers behind his impressive journey as India’s reliable Test opener.