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KL Rahul the crisis man of India, goes big with century as India recover against New Zealand

KL Rahul’s composed century rescued India from collapse, guiding the hosts to a fighting total against resilient New Zealand

By Aritra Chatterjee

Jan 14, 2026 19:36 IST

New Zealand players again showed great resilience against India as they stopped India under 300 in Rajkot. Both of the senior players of India remained unable to convert their starts and gave their wickets to the new bowler Kristian Clarke. KL Rahul stood out today in the difficult situation and went big with a century. This is his 8th ODI century and 21st overall. New Zealand is touring India with a bunch of new players. Key players got rest for the ODI series as the team management wants fresh legs before the interesting T20I challenge.

New Zealand bowlers dismantled the Indian batting line-up and took wickets consecutively. India went 70 to 118 runs losing 4 wickets, then KL Rahul came in and saved the Indian batting by forming a 73-run partnership with Ravindra Jadeja and a 57-run stand with Nitish Kumar Reddy to save the batting disaster.

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Team India lost 7 wickets and put 284 runs on board after 50 overs.

KL Rahul is the synonym of adaptability

Started as a power hitter at the top , lately, KL Rahul has developed and established himself as one of the reliable players of Team India and has become the crisis man. His significance and dependency have grown in the post RO-KO era.

From doing opening in the test to batting down in the order in the ODIs , he can also keep the wickets and also does the captaincy whenever needed.

Throughout his career, he has batted in different positions. In ODIs, he primarily played in the opening position and in the 5th position. He made 669 runs with two centuries and five centuries at number 1 while his most runs came in the 5th position where he played 33 innings and scored 1477 runs with 3 centuries, his highest score 112 runs came today which also came in this position.

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He also has two centuries in the 4th position and has one in the second position. The Wicket Keeper batter also played an innings at the 7th position.

His career graph has always put him in question but the way he developed himself in the last few years and the way he is becoming adaptable in every situation he is surely going to be India’s key player in the World Cup.

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