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KL Rahul and B Sai Sudharsan struck sublime hundreds as India A registered a stunning five-wicket win over Australia A while hunting down a target of 413 to seal the two-match unofficial Test series 1-0 here on Friday. It was the sixth highest successful run chase in the country's first-class history, and Rahul's form (176 not out, 210 balls, 16x4, 4x6) is an ominous sign for the West Indians ahead of the two-match Test series, starting next month. The highest chase remains in the name of West Zone when they overhauled South Zone's target of 536 in the 2010 Duleep Trophy final. Starting the fourth and final day from their overnight 169 for two, India lost Manav Suthar at the total of 189. But Sudharsan (100, 172 balls) and skipper Dhruv Jurel (56) added 78 runs for the fourth wicket to keep India A in the chase of a daunting 412. Sudharsan fetched his eighth first-class hundred in 170 balls, vindicating his call-up for the upcoming home Tests against the West Indies. However, the
KL Rahul has spent every minute after his last IPL match preparing for the England tour and rightly deserves all the recognition coming his way for doing the "dirty job at all numbers" for India, said the team's former assistant coach Abhishek Nayar on Sunday. Rahul finished as India's second highest run-scorer in the five-Test series with two tons and two fifties giving him 532 runs at 53.20 while forging a robust opening partnership with Yashasvi Jaiswal. Nayar, who has worked closely with Rahul during his time as India's assistant coach till recently, said while he cannot reveal the changes the latter has made, he is pleased to see the desired results. "I can't talk about the changes that I've seen in KL Rahul. I can't, because then it's out there and the effectiveness goes down a lot," Nayar, the head coach of Women's Premier League team UP Warriorz, told PTI in an exclusive interview. "All I can say is that, whatever the changes are, they have really worked. Sometimes -- (and)
India batter KL Rahul will be aiming to join an elite list of Indian players with 1,000 or more Test runs in England as the fourth Test against the Three Lions in Manchester draws closer.The fourth Test match will kick off in Manchester from July 23 onwards. England leads the series 2-1.Ending up on the losing side at Lord's during the third Test despite his second century at the iconic venue, the dependable opener will be all fired up to continue his fine run in England and deliver a match-winning contribution.Currently, KL has 989 runs in 12 Tests and 24 innings in England, at an average of 41.20, with four centuries and two fifties. His best score is 149.Only Sachin Tendulkar (1,575 runs in 17 Tests and 30 innings at an average of 54.31, with four centuries and eight fifties), Rahul Dravid (1,376 runs in 13 Tests and 23 innings at an average of 68.80, with six centuries and four fifties), and Sunil Gavaskar (1,152 runs in 16 Tests and 28 innings at an average of 41.14, with two ...