For KL Rahul, Friday at the Narendra Modi Stadium turned into an afternoon of redemption, relief and raw emotion. The elegant right-hander brought up his 11th Test century — but more significantly, his first at home in almost nine years (3211 days) — with a flick off Roston Chase that raced to mid-wicket. The single not only lifted him to three figures but also lifted the weight of a long-standing drought that had stretched back to 2016, when he last scored a ton in India during the famous Karun Nair triple-century Test in Chennai.Rahul’s reaction, however, made the moment unforgettable.
As he raised his bat with his right hand and removed his helmet to kiss the Indian badge, he also surprised everyone with a never-seen-before gesture — putting his middle and ring finger into his mouth. Click here to watch KL Rahul’s celebration after hitting the tonThe unique celebration was Rahul’s way of dedicating the milestone to his baby daughter, born earlier this year in March with wife and actor Athiya Shetty. The couple had tied the knot in January 2023 after years of dating, and the new chapter in his personal life has clearly inspired Rahul on the field too.Statistically, Rahul has now joined a rare list of Indians with the most innings between two Test hundreds at home — 26, a mark he now shares with legends like Kapil Dev, Polly Umrigar, Ajinkya Rahane and Vijay Manjrekar. The wait was long, but the ton was worth it, coming when India needed solidity after a commanding opening day against the West Indies.At lunch, India were 97 runs richer in 29 overs for the loss of just one wicket, with Rahul looking assured. His partnership with Shubman Gill, who scored a fluent fifty before falling to a reverse sweep, has pushed India into a strong position with a lead of 56 and seven wickets in hand. For Rahul, though, the day will forever be remembered for breaking his home-century jinx — and for the little gesture that connected the cricketing world with his fatherhood journey.
