KL Rahul produced a stunning unbeaten 129 to lead India’s recovery against West Indies in the third and final ODI in New Chandigarh on Saturday.
Coming into the series decider for his first batting opportunity, Rahul made the most of it and finished with his ninth ODI century.
Rahul’s aggressive knock came off just 87 balls and included 10 fours and six sixes. His innings helped India recover from a poor start and finish with a massive 351/7 in their 50 overs.
KL Rahul leads India’s recovery
India were in serious trouble early in the innings after losing two wickets for just four runs. Captain Shubman Gill was dismissed for one before Virat Kohli fell for a first-ball duck, with Jayden Seales claiming both wickets in the third over.
Rahul then took charge of the innings and built important partnerships as India recovered. He reached his century from 80 balls and continued attacking the West Indies bowlers in the closing stages.
His unbeaten 129 also placed him among India’s highest-scoring batters at No. 5 in ODI cricket.
Rahul adds another major ODI milestone
Rahul’s century was also significant from a personal point of view. His 129* became the third-highest score by an Indian batter at No. 5 in ODIs among the figures listed below:
- 139 – Yuvraj Singh vs Australia, Sydney, 2004
- 134 – MS Dhoni vs England, Cuttack, 2017
- 129* – KL Rahul vs West Indies, New Chandigarh, 2026
- 124 – MS Dhoni vs Australia, Nagpur, 2009
Rohit Sharma, Ruturaj Gaikwad add crucial runs
Before Rahul took over, Rohit Sharma played a key role in rebuilding the Indian innings. The experienced opener scored 92 off 85 balls, hitting 10 fours and three sixes.
Rohit missed out on a century but provided the stability India needed after the early dismissals. Ruturaj Gaikwad then added another important contribution, scoring 57 off 69 balls with four sixes and a four.
The pair ensured that India recovered from 4/2 and put the innings back on track.
India post 351/7 in 50 overs
India kept the scoring rate high during the second half of the innings, with Rahul leading the attack. His late hitting helped the hosts cross the 350-run mark and set West Indies a target of 352.
Jayden Seales was the pick of the West Indies bowlers, finishing with figures of 3/62.
Brief Scores:
India: 351/7 in 50 overs (KL Rahul 129*; Rohit Sharma 92; Ruturaj Gaikwad 57; Jayden Seales 3/62).
Rahul’s innings gave India the perfect platform after a shaky start and ensured that the hosts finished their first innings in commanding fashion. With India already leading the three-match series 2-0, the 351/7 total gives them another strong chance to complete a clean sweep. West Indies will now look to chase down the target and deny India a series sweep.