Kannur Lokesh Rahul has once again proved why he remains India’s most bankable man in overseas conditions, crafting a high-class century in the second innings of the first Test against England at Headingley. The opener brought up his hundred — his 9th in Tests and third on English soil — with a well-run double, raising his bat to a warm ovation from the crowd and heartfelt applause from the Indian dressing room.
But this wasn’t just another century. With this knock, Rahul became the first Indian opener to score three Test hundreds in England, eclipsing the likes of Sunil Gavaskar and Ravi Shastri, who had two each. In the larger scheme of things, Rahul’s name now sits among the greats with Rahul Dravid (6 centuries), Dilip Vengsarkar (4), and Sachin Tendulkar (4) as one of the most prolific Indian batters in English conditions.
Rahul’s knock came at a time when India needed stability after an early loss on Day 4. Alongside Rishabh Pant, who followed his first-innings century with another counter-attacking half-century, Rahul added crucial runs and helped India stretch their lead past 240 midway through the second session.
India’s Target: 400 or Bust?
While the Rahul-Pant partnership has tilted the match in India’s favour, the visitors will be aware that the job is far from done. Headingley has a history of fourth-innings miracles, and with England’s aggressive ‘Bazball’ approach under Ben Stokes, no target can be considered completely safe.
The most famous chase at the venue remains Australia’s 404-run heist in 1948, powered by Sir Don Bradman’s unbeaten 173. More recently, England have chased 296 against Australia in 2019, another 296 against New Zealand in 2022, and 251 against Australia in 2023. These numbers highlight the chasing pedigree of the current English setup and the volatility of this ground in the fourth innings.
Given those precedents and England’s fearless mindset, India will likely aim for a lead of 400 or more to truly close the door on any comeback. With KL Rahul already at the heart of this fight and Pant threatening to do damage again, India have the tools. What remains to be seen is whether they can now build the total that matches their ambitions—and contains England’s.
