The historic Lord’s Cricket Ground in London once again became the stage for a gripping contest as England and India squared off in the third Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy . With the series tantalizingly poised at 1-1, both teams entered the iconic venue with everything to play for. The spotlight, however, shone brightest on KL Rahul, whose sublime century on Day 3 not only anchored India’s innings but also etched his name into the annals of Indian cricket history as one of the most prolific openers in SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand, Australia) countries.
KL Rahul’s fighting knock on Day 3 of the Lord’s Test
Rahul’s innings at Lord’s was a masterclass in patience, technique, and temperament. Resuming Day 3 unbeaten on 53, Rahul methodically built his innings, weathering the English pace battery and capitalizing on scoring opportunities. He reached his hundred in 176 balls, his knock laced with 13 crisp boundaries. The milestone came with a single off Jofra Archer just after lunch, making him only the second Indian after Dilip Vengsarkar to score multiple Test centuries at the hallowed ground.
Rahul’s innings was a blend of classical drives and deft flicks, highlighted by a backfoot punch off Brydon Carse that drew applause from the Lord’s crowd. Unfortunately, his stay ended at exactly 100, falling to a loose drive off Shoaib Bashir, but not before he had steered India to a strong position at 316 for five. This was Rahul’s second century at Lord’s—his first came in 2021—and his fifth as an opener in SENA countries, cementing his reputation as one of India’s finest travelers.
Top 5 Indian openers with most centuries in SENA countries
1. Sunil Gavaskar
Centuries in SENA: 8
Innings played in SENA: 57
Sunil Gavaskar stands alone at the top, unmatched in both centuries and consistency across SENA nations. He scored five centuries in Australia, two in England, and one in New Zealand, never having played a Test in South Africa. Gavaskar’s technique and temperament allowed him to conquer the world’s toughest conditions, making him the benchmark for all Indian openers abroad.
2. KL Rahul
Centuries in SENA: 6
Innings played in SENA: 45
Rahul is India’s most prolific SENA opener of the current era. He has now four centuries in England, one in Australia, and one in South Africa. Rahul’s ability to adapt to varied conditions is reflected in his six centuries from just 23 Tests as an opener in SENA countries, giving him a superior centuries-per-match ratio compared to his peers with the same number of centuries.
Also WATCH: Jofra Archer hurls his quickest over as every delivery breaches 90 MPH mark on Day 3 of Lord’s Test
3. Vinoo Mankad
Centuries in SENA: 3
Innings played in SENA: 17
Vinoo Mankad was India’s original overseas specialist among openers. He scored two centuries in Australia and one in England, achieving his three SENA tons in just 17 innings—fewer than Sehwag and Shastri—thus ranking higher among those tied on centuries.
4. Ravi Shastri
Centuries in SENA: 3
Innings played in SENA: 18
Ravi Shastri’s three centuries (two in England, one in Australia) came in 18 matches as an opener in SENA countries. This places him between Mankad and Sehwag in the ranking, as he achieved his three centuries in fewer matches than Sehwag but more than Mankad.
5. Virender Sehwag
Centuries in SENA: 3
Innings played in SENA: 49
Virender Sehwag’s attacking style brought a new dimension to Indian opening batting. He scored two centuries in Australia and one in England as an opener. Among the trio with three centuries, Sehwag played the most matches, which places him below Mankad and Shastri in this specific ranking.
Also READ: ENG vs IND: Fans go berserk as KL Rahul hits a gritty century on Day 3 of the Lord’s Test