At Headingley in Leeds, the first Test match between India and England saw five hundreds from Indian batsmen. One of them was from opening batter KL Rahul, who played a valuable knock of 137 runs off 247 balls to help India put 364 runs on the board to set a 371 target for England, which the hosts eventually won by five wickets.
Upon the retirement of star batters like Virat Kohli and captain Rohit Sharma, there is now a huge responsibility on the shoulders of Lokesh Rahul, who is now one of the most experienced players in the team.
Rahul’s role is even more crucial in this away series for Team India. Over his decade-long career, KL Rahul has established himself as one of the best players overseas among the Indian players.
KL Rahul is an Underrated Test Player
With the star power in the Indian team, Rahul has always been one of the most underrated players. After making his Test debut in 2014 against Australia, Rahul has played in various positions in the batting order.
He did not have a confirmed number in the batting order until recently, after the retirement of captain Rohit Sharma. Rahul now seemed to be settled for an opening slot in the playing XI for the remainder of his career.
KL Rahul has played 59 Test matches and has scored 3436 runs at an average of 34.7. But, Rahul has been the most standout player for the team when it comes to playing outside India.
The Karnataka-born batsman has played as opener, number three, number four and number six, just to accommodate other important players. Yet, the 33-year-old has performed well in every batting number.
Playing at lowly number 6, Rahul has scored 234 runs in 9 innings at an average of 29.25. At number four, he has scored 108 runs in 2 innings, averaging 54.00. The experiment has failed at number 3 though as he has scored only 112 runs 7 innings, averaging a meagre 16.00.
But it is the opening position where Rahul has flourished the most. In 85 innings, the right-hand batter has scored 2982 runs at an average of 36.37.
KL Rahul Overseas Test Record
Indian batsman KL Rahul has been brilliant when it comes to delivering outside India for Team India. In every Test series that Team India has played outside of India, the batter has been its mainstay.
Rahul has featured in 59 games in the longest format, scoring a total of 3436 runs at a batting average of 34.7. But, it is astounding to know that he has scored 2287 runs while playing outside India in a total of 39 Test matches played overseas. He has scored 1149 runs in 20 Test matches in India.
He has been notably outstanding in England in particular. Rahul has played 10 Test matches (as of writing this) in English soil and has scored 793 runs at an average of 39.65 that includes 3 centuries and one half-century.
He has also been outstanding in down under and the Caribbean island. In 10 Test matches in Australia, Rahul has scored 463 runs and 337 runs in 5 Test matches in the West Indies. Below is the full overseas Test cricket record for Indian batsman KL Rahul.
| COUNTRY | SPAN | INNINGS (MATCHES) | RUNS | AVERAGE | 100s | 50s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AUSTRALIA | 2014-2025 | 19 (10) | 463 | 25.72 | 1 | 2 |
| ENGLAND | 2018-2025 | 20 (10) | 793 | 39.65 | 3 | 1 |
| BANGLADESH | 2022-2022 | 4 (2) | 57 | 14.25 | 0 | 0 |
| SOUTH AFRICA | 2018-2024 | 13 (7) | 369 | 28.38 | 2 | 1 |
| SRI LANKA | 2015-2017 | 8 (5) | 268 | 33.50 | 1 | 2 |
| WEST INDIES | 2016-2019 | 7 (5) | 337 | 48.14 | 1 | 1 |
Star Indian batter Virat Kohli has scored 4894 runs in 68 matches outside India. His best performance has come in Australia, scoring 1542 runs in 18 matches.
Meanwhile, Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara have scored 3433 runs in 53 matches and 3356 runs in 52 matches outside India.
Do you know KL Rahul is also one of the top batsmen in the IPL, known for his consistency and match-winning performances?
Is KL Rahul India’s Best Overseas Test Player?
KL Rahul may not have the same prestigious career Test numbers as Virat Kohli or the consistency of Cheteshwar Pujara. But his adaptability, resilience, and standout overseas performances make him one of India’s most valuable assets in foreign conditions. From his centuries at Lord’s and Centurion to his contributions in Australia and the West Indies, Rahul has often delivered when the conditions are toughest.
He’s batted across multiple positions, adjusted to shifting team dynamics, and continued to evolve as a dependable presence outside India. As Indian cricket steps into a new era post the leadership of Kohli and Rohit, Rahul’s experience and overseas pedigree position him as a key pillar in India’s Test ambitions abroad.
So, is KL Rahul the best overseas Test player for India? Statistically, perhaps not yet—but in terms of impact, versatility, and sheer grit overseas, he’s certainly in the conversation. And with more matches to come, Rahul’s overseas legacy might just be getting started.
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