Who said what- top 5 expert reactions to KL Rahul's second hundred at Lord's in ENG vs IND 2025 3rd Test ft. Anil Kumble

KL Rahul completed a well-played century (100) against England on the third day of the ongoing Lord's Test. This is Rahul's second century in the series and also at Lord's.

Rahul has been in sublime form in the ongoing Test series. In five innings, he has scored 336 runs at a healthy average of 67.20, including two hundreds.

Rahul's century at Lord's earned him praise from various cricket experts. Here is a look at the top five expert reactions:

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#1 Anil Kumble

Former India Test skipper Anil Kumble was highly impressed by Rahul's century at Lord's. Kumble stated on JioHotstar (via The Indian Express):

"It was fantastic, a typical KL Rahul innings where he had to grind it out. It was a fiery spell from Jofra Archer — especially that first spell where he clocked over 150 kmph, with steep bounce and a bit of swing early on."

He further added:

"KL countered all of that brilliantly. He was clinical in his approach and looked in control. It was a very disciplined and mature knock, and I’m sure he’ll be satisfied with how he played."

Rahul went on to score 100 from 177 balls, surviving some attacking bowling, especially from Jofra Archer at the start of his innings.

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#2 Michael Vaughan

The former England skipper heaped praise on KL Rahul. In a conversation with Dinesh Karthik on Cricbuzz, Vaughan stated (6.44):

" I salute him,technically perfect. Lovely player to watch. He is the father figure of the team. He is now the senior pro at the top of the order playing with lot of clamness and control. "

He further added (7.00):

"He plays quick bowling really well. He plays so well , with the time he gets forward . He plays forward defense. He has got a back foot punch. He played on a few ocassions today. There was just a lapse of concentration after his 100."

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#3 Naseer Hussain

The Indian opener's calm and composed century on the third day of the Lord's Test earned him a mention in Naseer Hussain's column in The Daily Mail. The former English skipper penned down:

"His hundred here was his 10th in Tests, and his ninth abroad – and you can see why, because he is good enough to adapt to different conditions. He made a famous century here at Lord’s in 2021, when the pitch was green and the lights were on, and he and Rohit Sharma calmly shared an opening stand of 126.True, the conditions this time are not typically English, especially given the lack of swing. But he has played them to perfection, showing off one of the best cover-drives in the game and displaying the kind of old-school technique that some people fear is disappearing because of the influence of white-ball cricket."

He further added:

"But you can see how important his experience is in a Test side that recently lost Rohit and Virat Kohli. And his technique, with his hands close to his body, is a lesson for some of the others – including Karun Nair, who plays with them out in front.I’ve always thought that Indian batters, despite the nation’s love for the IPL, are brought up on the fundamentals of the game. Rahul typifies that, and he’s been a pleasure to watch."

Rahul has played well in English conditions, and his experience is vital in the longest format, especially after the twin retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.

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#4 Murali Karthik

The former Indian spinner turned commentator lauded KL Rahul for his brilliant innings. In his analysis on Cricbuzz, he stated (2.40):

" Coming into the series there was a talk with the retirments of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. KL Rahul has embraced the role with both hands. He scored his 6th century in SENA countries, second in this series as an opener and his second at Lord's.

He further added (3.20):

" Rahul has been consistent at the top of the order. The most aspect is he has delivered as an opener in English conditions. He did not expose the batting to English bowlers in the first 30-40 minutes of the day. He has delivered on the big stage. He brings calmness with the bat in his hand."

Rahul has batted with great composure in the series and added stability at the top of the order. With Yashasvi Jaiswal looking to play attacking cricket, Rahul is a perfect partner for the left-hander and is finally making his performances count on the big stages in Test cricket.

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#5 Aakash Chopra

The former Indian opener was in awe of Rahul's batting and stated on his YouTube channel, Aakashvani (1.37):

" Let's celebrate KL Rahul. He was the player of the Man of the Match when India played last at Lord's. He is the only Indian opener to have scored two century at Lord's. His name is on the Honour's board twice. The likes of Sunil Gavaskar, Virat Kohli, Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara, ABD have failed to make it to the Honour's board. But Rahul is there twice"

He further added (2.40):

"Depsite of all criticism, he has stood tall. Lets acknowledge hes played really well. It was a proper Test innings. He hasnt gone fishing. He is the best driver of the ball. He got out to a soft dismissal."