Shubman Gill and KL Rahul stood tall in tough conditions to give India something to cheer about on Day 4 of the fourth Test at Old Trafford. Their unbeaten 174-run stand helped India recover from early damage and also broke a long-standing Indian record from 55 years ago.
Shubman Gill, KL Rahul Steady India After Early Collapse
After losing both openers, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sai Sudharsan, for zero, it looked like India might fold quickly under pressure. But Gill and Rahul had other plans. They kept their heads down, blocked the good deliveries, and slowly built a partnership that helped India stay in the contest.
England had earlier piled up 669 runs, thanks to a brilliant 141 from their captain Ben Stokes. His hundred followed a five-wicket haul from the day before, leaving India chasing the game right from the start.
Despite the mountain of runs in front of them, Gill and Rahul kept things simple. They didn’t take unnecessary risks against left-arm spinner Liam Dawson, but they weren’t afraid to play their shots when the pacers overpitched.
Gill Crosses 690-Run Mark in the Series
By the end of the day, Gill was batting on 78 from 167 balls, while Rahul had 87 off 210. Their effort not only helped India avoid complete collapse but also pushed both batters into an elite group of performers in overseas Tests.
Gill now has 697 runs in the series at an incredible average of 99.57. Rahul, too, has impressed with 508 runs at an average of 72.57. These numbers are rare for Indian batters in foreign conditions, especially against a strong England attack.
Rahul has become just the second Indian opener, after Sunil Gavaskar, to score over 500 runs in an away Test series. That’s no small feat, especially in a country like England where Indian openers have usually struggled.
Second Time Two Indians Score 500+ in Away Series
The pair’s performance has now matched a 55-year-old record held by Gavaskar and Dilip Sardesai. Back in 1971, the duo scored over 500 runs each in a five-match series against the West Indies, helping India win the series 1-0.
It was a breakthrough moment in Indian cricket. Now, more than five decades later, Gill and Rahul have repeated that rare feat in England. Their names now sit beside legends in the record books.
For Indian fans, it’s not just about numbers, it’s about fight. And this partnership showed plenty of it when it was needed the most.
Rahul Becomes First Visiting Opener to 500+ in 21st Century
Rahul also achieved something no opener has managed in England in this century. He’s now the first visiting opener since Graeme Smith to cross 500 runs in a Test series in England.
Only Sunil Gavaskar had managed this before as an Asian opener, scoring 542 runs in 1979. During Gavaskar’s 542-run series in 1979, England won the four-match series 1-0, but he ended as the highest run-scorer.
