KL Rahul and his tryst with Boxing Day Test matches

KL Rahul saved the day for India in the first Boxing Day Test match of the two-Test series against South Africa with a sensational innings of 101 runs on a spicy Centurion pitch. It is KL Rahul’s second consecutive ton at the SuperSport Park in Centurion and he became the first overseas batter to score two centuries in Centurion.

KL Rahul’s last ton at Centurion also came on the Boxing Day in 2021 but the circumstances were different as he was opening the innings for India in that game. India won that match by 113 runs and took a 1-0 lead in that series but the circumstances were different in this match which makes this innings of 101 runs even more special and could be considered KL’s best hundred in the Test format till date.

KL Rahul and the Boxing Day Test matches have a special connection as KL made his debut in a Boxing Day Test match and now has blasted a valiant century on this momentous occasion. K Rahul averages more than 50 in the three Boxing Day Test matches he has played so far.

Let’s have a closer look at KL Rahul’s special relationship with Boxing Day Test matches:

1. Saved the day for India at Centurion in 2023 with a valiant knock of 101 

India was placed at 92-4 when KL Rahul came into bat in the first Test of the two-match series at SuperSport Park in Centurion. Conditions were overcast with the pitch doing enough to make life difficult for the batters to survive and soon India was 121 for 6 with KL Rahul stuck at one end with not much batting to follow.

But KL Rahul had other plans as he stitched crucial partnerships with Shardul Thakur and Mohammad Siraj with KL being the aggressor. KL Rahul displayed a tactical masterclass as he scored an aggressive century while batting with the tail on a difficult batting wicket and took the final score to 246. It is termed as KL Rahul’s best Test century by many given the circumstances it came under.

2. Propelled India to a famous victory with a classy century

KL Rahul once again played a pivotal role in the boxing Test match against South Africa in 2021 at Centurion. Back in 2021, Rahul impressed the fans with his sensational knock of 113 runs in the first Test opening the batting with Mayank Aggarwal.

India won the match against South Africa convincingly by 113 runs and took a lead of 1-0 in the series but KL Rahul set the tone for the series with his classic ton under Testing conditions and made it easier for the Indian bowlers to cast a web around the inexperienced Proteas batting on a difficult pitch.

3. Made his Test debut on Boxing Day in 2014

KL Rahul incidentally also made his debut against Australia in the Boxing Day Test match at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground back in 2014. Although he missed the mark in his debut match and scored a meagre 4 runs in both the innings of the match but went on to score a century a century in the following match at the Sydney Cricket Ground in only the second match of his career.

The Boxing Day match back in 2014 therefore will be etched in his memory as a special match as it was the start of a fascinating career that had its ups and downs but is still going strong despite all the setbacks. KL Rahul and his love affair with the Boxing Day Test matches is never-ending and the Indian cricket fans would like this association to continue for as long as it can and bring many more laurels for India in Test cricket.