Ravi Shastri, Ian Smith hail KL Rahul's incredible hundred against New Zealand in 2nd ODI

RAJKOT: Former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri and Ian Smith heaped praise on India's star batter KL Rahul after he slammed his 8th ODI ton against New Zealand in the second ODI on Wednesday.
Shastri praised Rahul's incredible innings, saying he deserves full credit for turning things around for India after coming to bat at 118/4, with the pitch slowing down and the ball getting softer, but he and Ravindra Jadeja built a crucial partnership from scratch.

"When he came, it wasn't easy. To do it the way he did, I think full credit. He came at number five today, but India were 118 for four at one stage when Virat got out. The pitch had slowed up a bit. The ball was a little older and softer, and two newcomers had come to the crease. Jadeja and he were both on zero, you know, when that partnership started. And then once he reached about 30 or 40, you could see the fluency. He started opening up and played some terrific shots, " Ravi Shastri said in a video posted by BCCI on Instagram.




Smith also lauded Rahul as a mature and smart cricketer who handles situations well. He highlighted Rahul's versatility, having batted in various positions, and his ability to know exactly when to accelerate.

"He's a very mature cricketer. He handles the situation well. Seen him open so many times. Seen him bat at six and we've seen him bat in between. He's a very smart cricketer, and he's got all the shots, and he knows exactly when to release the brakes," Ian Smith said.

Rahul entered the crease when India was three down for 115 and soon witnessed Virat Kohli's stump removed for 23. However, KL carried on for almost 30 overs, scoring a brilliant 112* in 92 balls, with 12 fours and a six at a strike rate of 121.74.

He has a fine record against NZ in ODIs, having made 469 runs in 10 innings at an average of 93.8, with an SR of over 111 with two centuries and a fifty. His best score is 112*.


Get the latest WPL 2026 updates including WPL teams, full WPL 2026 schedule, and live scores for Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, UP Warriorz, Gujarat Giants, and Delhi Capitals. Also check the latest WPL Orange Cap and Purple Cap standings.