Cricket - First Test - Australia v India - Optus Stadium, Perth, Australia - November 23, 2024 India's KL Rahul in action Dean Lewins/AAP Image via REUTERS
PERTH, Australia (Reuters) - Makeshift opener KL Rahul repaid the faith India have showed in him despite recent struggles, helping to put the touring side in the driving seat against Australia in the first test in Perth on Saturday.
Rahul finished unbeaten on 62 as India reached 172 without loss at the close on day two, leading by 218 having bowled Australia out for 104.
The 32-year-old has played a chanceless knock, silencing his critics by balancing the youthful positivity of Yashasvi Jaiswal (90 not out) with maturity borne from 10 years in, and sometimes out, of the test team.
"They worked very hard," paceman Harshit Rana said of India's opening pair.
"It was not easy at the start but they spent some time in the middle after which they faced no real problem."
Rahul adopted the same mature approach on a dizzying opening day too, when India were rolled for 150 inside two sessions by Australia's seamers.
The Bengaluru-born right-hander was the only top-order batsman intent on preserving his wicket, but fortune did not favour him.
The third umpire judged on review that Snicko showed ball-edging-bat off Mitchell Starc to keeper Alex Carey and Rahul had to trudge off for 26.
It is familiar territory, though, for a player who has been trolled mercilessly online for his inconsistent form.
The reasons range from a bizarre dismissal playing for India A this month in which he left a straight ball, to his low Indian Premier League strike rate -- his franchise Lucknow Super Giants released him this year.
Head coach Gautam Gambhir has leapt to Rahul's defense, praising his versatility and ability to bat wherever required.
In this test, it was a recall as opener in place of Rohit Sharma who is not playing due to the birth of his second child.
"The way he saw off the new ball at the start, it was very useful for the team because if you don't lose early wickets, batting becomes a lot easier," Rana said.
Rahul has struck four boundaries during his 153-ball vigil, but would have been most pleased by a single in the 48th over.
With a gentle poke of Mitchell Marsh to third man, he brought up his 16th test fifty -- and received the warm acknowledgment of the 32,368-strong crowd.
(Reporting by Joel Dubber, editing by Ed Osmond)
