India batter KL Rahul faced flak on social media after scoring a brilliant hundred in the first Test against South Africa in Centurion.

 

With his scintillating hundred against the Proteas at the SuperSport Park, KL Rahul became the third India batter after Sachin Tendulkar (5) and Virat Kohli (2) to compile a minimum of two centuries in South Africa.

Also, KL Rahul is the second Team India player to hit a hundred in their first Test as a wicketkeeper.

“Rahul emulated Vijay Manjrekar, who scored 118 against West Indies in 1953, the only time he played as a designated wicketkeeper in his 55-Test career. Rahul is only the second Indian wicketkeeper to score a Test century in South Africa, after Rishabh Pant,” ESPNCricinfo stated.

Moreover, it was KL Rahul's sixth century outside Asia, the second-highest among active cricketers for Team India.

“In the last 15 years, only Virat Kohli has scored more Test centuries outside Asia among Indians – 13 in 53 games. Ajinkya Rahane also has six hundreds in 46 Test matches outside Asia,” the noted cricket website mentioned.

However, a few mocked KL Rahul, reminding him of his slow knock in the 2023 Cricket World Cup final that India lost to Australia last month.

On the other hand, KL Rahul's hundred earned rich plaudits from the legendary Sunil Gavaskar, who dubbed it as one of the best tons in Indian Test history.

“We've known about his talent for such a long time, but we are getting to see it in the last eight, nine months, ever since his comeback from this horrific injury that he had in the IPL, it's a different Rahul. It's a Rahul that we have been yearning to see for such a long time and such a delight to see. I said it in commentary as well that this half century to me, is as good as a century,” Sunil Gavaskar said on Star Sports.

“When you're out of the game for such a long time, the game that you love, the game that has given you everything, almost everything, you tend to get a different perspective, and that's precisely what he seems to have done. And now, instead of looking at it as a chore, I think he's looking at it as a sport and to be enjoyed. I could be completely wrong, but this is the impression I get because there's so much positivity about his every movement. Earlier on, he used to seem a little bit lost. He's not lost now. He's there, very much there. And that tells you the way he's approaching batting that century at the Asia Cup, that first game was a very good century. You could say lucky that Shreyas Iyer did hurt his back and so he got an opportunity to get into the XI. But that's what you need in life. You need a bit of luck, but then you need to grab that with both hands. And that's what he's done. And now he's made himself undroppable in all three formats,” he added.

KL Rahul was stunned by Sunil Gavaskar's shoutout to his hundred.

“Firstly, I'm very humbled he's made that comment. It's a pretty huge compliment to get. Batting in the middle order, what I've realised is that you can't really plan your innings all that much when you walk in. There is a situation in front of you. The game tells you how you need to play and what you need to do in that time and in that moment,” he told reporters in Centurion.

“That's what I try to do walk in with very free and empty mindset when I'm batting and see what the game demands of me and try and do my best. Yesterday and today the situation was quite clear: I am batting with the tail and need to take my chances. I tried to score as many runs as possible so I'm pretty happy,” KL Rahul continued.

“When the injury happened and I was away from the game for a long time, I worked on myself and tried to go back to the person that I am. I realized that I can't get affected by these things and change myself; rather I shouldn't change myself. It's difficult to remain yourself, remain true to your personality when there's so much happening; it's the hardest thing. But like anything else in cricket and life, there are ways to work on it, there are people who can help you if your mind is open. So when I was out of the game, I worked on myself and worked on remaining calmer and taking care of what's happening inside my head,” the India wicketkeeper-batter explained.

“There's no point expressing myself on social media. People who want to say things will still say it. What I have realized is that in sport, if you are in the public eye, your performance is the only way you can stay away from negative comments. What I try to do is focus on my game and performance. The farther you stay from these things, the better,” KL Rahul elaborated.

“You have your own personality, personality traits, characteristics. When you play international cricket, they all get challenged. As a person, as a cricketer, as an individual, you are challenged each day, each moment. Social media is a pressure. Today I have scored a hundred, so people are singing and handling praises. Three-four months ago, everybody was abusing me. It's part of the game, but I can't say it doesn't affect you; it does. The sooner you realise that staying away from it is good for your game and your mindset the better it is,” he pointed out.

“You can perform or you can be in a better mindset if you slightly know where to draw the line. Nobody's that great that they can completely avoid what has been said and the criticism they're getting. It does affect each person. And anyone who says that doesn't affect them at all, I'm sure is lying. But each person has to find their way. And for me, when I was injured and was away from the game for such a long time, I worked on myself. I tried to go back to the person that I am, and worked on how I don't change myself by getting affected by these things. It is difficult to remain true to yourself and true to your personality with so much happening. It is the hardest thing,” he stressed.

“It is difficult, obviously. You have your own personality, personality traits, characteristics. When you play international cricket, they all get challenged. As a person, as a cricketer, as an individual, you are challenged each day, each moment. Social media is a pressure. Today I have scored a hundred, so people are singing and handling praises. Three-four months ago, everybody was abusing me. It's part of the game, but I can't say it doesn't affect you; it does. The sooner you realise that staying away from it is good for your game and your mindset the better it is,” KL Rahul noted.

Meanwhile, ex-India bowler Irfan Pathan's Lord Hanuman-inspired praise for KL Rahul after his gritty hundred in the first Test against South Africa in Centurion won the internet.

After KL Rahul completed his 8th Test century, his second in Centurion in successive matches, Irfan Pathan lauded him for his brilliant batting display against the Proteas bowlers.

Hailing KL Rahul for making a three-figure score in difficult batting conditions, Irfan Pathan shared a video of his batting.

In the caption, Irfan Pathan wrote: “Sankatmochan” (the savior – devotees call Lord Hanuman by that name).

Irfan Pathan's post became an instant hit on social media, with netizens giving a thumbs up to his Lord Hanuman analogy.