IND vs SA: 'One of the 10 best innings in Indian Test history', Gavaskar praised KL Rahul's century

Lokesh Rahul's brilliant century in the first Test match against South Africa was praised by the great batsman Sunil Gavaskar who termed this innings as one of the 10 best innings in the history of India's Test cricket. After the Indian team lost four wickets for 92 runs on the first day on Tuesday, Rahul played an inning of 101 runs in 137 balls. He was dismissed by South Africa's debutant fast bowler Nandre Berger, leaving the visiting team all out for 245 runs.

On Rahul's innings, Gavaskar said that his innings came on a difficult pitch and conditions, where the ball was behaving erratically and he felt that batting on such a pitch requires strong confidence. I have been playing or watching cricket for more than 50 years and I can undoubtedly say that this century Rahul should be in the top 10 of India's Test history because the pitch and conditions here are different.

He said, 'A batsman does not gain confidence so easily. Especially when the ball is in motion at any time. Praising the six hit by Rahul off Gerald Coetzee, Gavaskar said, 'No praise will be enough for the shot with which he reached his century. It was a length ball and he played a shot that you usually see in T20. Rahul's century was his second century on this ground. He is now the only foreign batsman to have multiple Test centuries here.

Hitting 14 fours and four sixes during his innings, he also became the second Indian wicketkeeper-batsman after Rishabh Pant to score a Test century in South Africa. Rahul also continued his record of scoring centuries in SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia) countries. Five of his eight Test centuries have come in these countries. In reply to India, South Africa has scored 256 runs after losing five wickets in its first innings and their lead is currently 11 runs.

Also Read: IND vs SA Day 2 of the first Test: Play will start at 1 pm, 60% chance of rain; India- 208/8, Rahul-Siraj not out