- July 18, 2025
When it comes to the Indian batter who brings some swag any time he leaves India, it’s KL Rahul. Whether it’s the overcast skies and swinging conditions of England, the fast and fiery nature of the Aussie pitches, or the exceptional bounce of South Africa, the bat of Rahul has communicated a language very few Indian openers overseas have. With the retirements of Test cricket, Kohli, and Rohit, Rahul was the man – and he didn’t blush. Now, though, a new debate is brewing among fans and experts alike — could KL Rahul be India’s finest overseas opener after the legendary Sunil Gavaskar? Let’s break down why.
The Numbers Don’t Lie — Rahul’s Overseas Record is Elite
Attitudes can be changed, but you cannot change numbers. Rahul has amassed 2,309 runs and 8 overseas Test tons – that’s more tons on overseas soil than most Indian openers have achieved in their careers. Rahul is behind only Sunil Gavaskar and Virender Sehwag for overseas runs for Indian openers, but in terms of approach to overseas conditions, Rahul is less erratic than Sehwag in overseas conditions.
While Sehwag was thrilling yet erratic, Rahul can weather the early storm because he has been dismissed for a duck only four times in 65 away innings. That is not insignificant considering that if a side loses an opener in difficult conditions, it can set the whole batting line-up in a tailspin of failure. Rahul not only does not lose his wicket, but he also stops India from going backwards.
Plus, he’s faced more deliveries overseas as an opener than Sehwag did — 156 more balls despite having played 18 fewer innings. That patience is priceless when playing away from home, where wickets can tumble like dominoes.
SENA Conditions? Rahul is a Different Beast There
SENA — South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia — is where many Asian batters meet their match. The conditions are brutal, the bowlers relentless, and surviving as an opener is often a thankless task. But KL Rahul? He relishes the challenge. His average of 36.60 as an opener in these regions outshines his overall Test average — proof that he rises to the occasion when the going gets rough. Among Indian openers, only the great Gavaskar has done better in these testing arenas — and that’s elite company to keep.
Now, let’s concentrate on England. Rahul’s romance with Lord’s is widely reported. In the recent series, he made his fourth century at the sacred Home of Cricket — a landmark that ensured India remained in the contest and made sure that his name followed their glory names. He also became the only Indian opener to have made the most centuries in England — he averaged just over 44 there, a feat that even Gavaskar did not reach.
Batting in Multiple Gears — Rahul’s Underrated Superpower
Most Indian openers have had a mostly “one-dimensional” style — Gavaskar played on the back foot, Sehwag was a bazooka, Gambhir unfazed. What about KL Rahul?! KL Rahul has gears, baby.
He can dig in, dead-ball the moving ball, and leave the ball outside off-stump like a Grade 7 student. But when the bowler’s fatigue or loses their zones, he changes gears — he turns drives, flicks, and pulls on with surgical precision. His IPL and white-ball experience has given him the ability to drive that tempo, but he’s smart enough to do this subtly in Tests.
This adaptability not only allows him to survive but dictates terms when required — great in overseas Tests when momentum can shift quickly. Plus, his capacity to navigate both pace and spin, play the ball late, and rotate strike keeps the scoreboard ticking and the pressure down.
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