KL Rahul’s century vs West Indies leaves his critics’ hypocrisy exposed: ‘How opinions change after…’

Mohammad Kaif praised KL Rahul while also taking a swipe at critics who, after questioning him earlier, have now shifted their stance.

KL Rahul has stepped up as India’s senior-most specialist batter in Tests following the retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. After making a strong impression with his performances in England, he carried that form into the opening Test against the West Indies, marking the first innings with a fine century. Rahul once again took the onus on himself of steadying the Indian innings after a couple of early wickets as he showed great composure against the disciplined Windies bowling attack. The opening batter joined hands with skipper Shubman Gill (50) and shared a 98-run stand for the third wicket.

KL Rahul scored a fine century in the first innings of Ahmedabad Test. (AP)

Rahul showed plenty of determination at the crease and enjoyed a slice of fortune early on when an edge slipped past the wicketkeeper and first slip. He went on to raise his second Test century against the West Indies and his first on Indian soil since that memorable 199 against England in Chennai back in December 2016. The milestone carried even more weight, as it marked the fourth-longest wait by an Indian player for back-to-back home centuries, with Ravichandran Ashwin holding the record at 36 innings. For Rahul, the drought spanned a staggering 3,211 days between his first and second home hundreds — the longest gap ever recorded by an Indian batter in Test history.

Meanwhile, Rahul was dismissed right after completing his century on 100.

Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif praised Rahul while also taking a swipe at critics who, after questioning him earlier, have now shifted their stance following his outstanding run of form.

"How opinions change after scoring in few innings.. Now his critics say there is no one like him. Remember: KL Rahul strength is his belief and hard work. That's what makes him rise after every fall and perform despite the pressure. @klrahul," Kaif wrote on X.

KL Rahul joins elite list with century vs WI

Rahul etched his name in the record books by scoring his 10th Test century as an opener, becoming only the fourth Indian to reach the landmark. He now stands alongside legends Sunil Gavaskar (33), Virender Sehwag (22) and Murali Vijay (12) in the exclusive club of Indian openers with double-digit hundreds. Gautam Gambhir and Rohit Sharma, meanwhile, fell just short with nine each.