NEW DELHI: KL Rahul ended a near nine-year wait for a home Test century on Friday, scoring exactly 100 against the West Indies in the opening Test in Ahmedabad. It was only his second home hundred in a career spanning over a decade, but the elegant right-hander said hard work and a new approach to batting had finally helped him convert starts into big scores on Indian soil.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!“Not sure really,” Rahul said when asked why a batter of his calibre has managed just two centuries at home. “But yeah, somehow I think the only thing that I’ve worked on in the last year or so has been maintaining my batting tempo. Just enjoying the phases that are not as exciting for me in my own head.”
Rahul explained that improving his running between the wickets, especially singles and twos, was key. “When you come back home, when there’s three spinners playing and the field’s spread out, you really need to get your runs with singles. The boundaries don’t come that easily. That’s something I’ve worked on and needed to make that mental switch — to enjoy grinding and getting hundreds with singles and twos as well.”Coming off a big hundred for India A against Australia recently, Rahul said the match practice helped him regain rhythm. “Really enjoyed my batting. Playing in different conditions. England was fun. Obviously getting runs there gives you a lot of confidence and coming into this game with some runs behind me also helped. Feeling fresher after a longish break after the series. Yeah, I really enjoyed being back.”
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The 33-year-old also revealed the emotional side of his celebration: “It was for my daughter,” he said after reaching three figures. Despite challenging physical conditions and a tough West Indies attack, Rahul remained composed throughout, demonstrating patience and adaptability in a knock that put India in a dominant position.With this century, Rahul has scored 632 runs in six Tests in the 2025-27 World Test Championship cycle. While only his second at home, the milestone signals a more consistent phase for the Indian opener, who has learned to combine elegance with efficiency in domestic conditions — a blend that could be crucial as Team India aims to dominate their home season.
