Mumbai, July 12, 2025: India’s seasoned opener KL Rahul earned praise from former India captain Anil Kumble for his composed and disciplined innings on Day 2 of the third Test against England at Lord’s. Rahul remained unbeaten on 53 off 113 balls, steering India to 145/3 at stumps while countering a fiery spell from Jofra Archer.
Speaking on JioHotstar, Kumble said:
“It was a fantastic, typical KL Rahul innings where he had to grind it out. Archer’s opening spell was quick, hostile, and had bounce and movement—but KL countered it all with great composure. He was clinical, disciplined, and in full control. A very mature knock.”
Rahul’s knock came under testing conditions as wickets kept falling at the other end. Yashasvi Jaiswal (13), Karun Nair (40), and skipper Shubman Gill (16) were dismissed early, leaving India still 242 runs behind England’s first-innings total of 387.
Adding to the praise, former England batter and current Afghanistan head coach Jonathan Trott also applauded Rahul’s technique and patience.
“You can’t dominate bowlers on this pitch. It’s a new-ball wicket, and KL was excellent in nullifying that threat. He played very straight, which is crucial,” Trott said.
“It reminded me of Shubman Gill’s approach in the second Test—straight bat, patience, and pouncing on the loose balls.”
With Rahul anchoring the innings, India will be hoping to build a solid platform on Day 3 and narrow the deficit as they chase their first win of the series.
