KL Rahul 129*: From 4/2 to 351/7 — A Rescue Act for the Ages

From 4/2 to 351/7 — this was a rescue act for the ages. KL Rahul 129 not out off 87 balls dragged India out of a hole and powered them to a mammoth total in the third and final ODI against West Indies at Mullanpur on Saturday, after Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli had both fallen cheaply.

Rahul’s unbeaten century — his ninth in ODIs, reached in just 80 balls with a six — featured 10 fours and 6 sixes, and a final-over assault of 6, 6, 4, 2, 2 off Keemo Paul that took 22 runs and carried India past 350. West Indies need 352 to avoid a 3-0 whitewash.

The Collapse: 4/2 Inside Three Overs

It started as a nightmare. India won the toss and batted, but Jayden Seales produced a devastating opening burst — dismissing captain Shubman Gill for 1 and then cleaning up Virat Kohli for a first-ball duck off consecutive deliveries. At 4/2, with the two biggest names back in the pavilion, Mullanpur fell silent.

What followed was a masterclass in rebuilding. Rohit Sharma (92 off 85) and Ruturaj Gaikwad (57 off 69) stitched a 137-run stand that dragged India back into the contest. Ruturaj rode his luck — dropped around four times — but made every reprieve count with four sixes. Rohit fell eight short of a hundred, holing out for 92 with 10 fours and three sixes.

KL Rahul 129*: The Finisher’s Statement

Walking in amid the wreckage, Rahul first steadied, then detonated. He was 84 off 72 at the 47-over mark — and then produced one of the great ODI finishes: 45 runs off his last 15 balls, including that 22-run final over.

The hundred came up in the 49th over with a six over fine leg off Seales — pure timing, minimal fuss. Naman Dhir’s 30 off 21 and Anshul Kamboj’s entertaining 17 off 9 (run out) gave him support, but this was Rahul’s stage. His 129* is a reminder of what he does best: absorb pressure, then return it with interest.

What It Means for the Series

India lead the series 2-0 after Shubman Gill’s world-record 223 in the second ODI — the fastest double century in ODI history. A win here completes a 3-0 whitewash and extends India’s absurd dominance: 14 consecutive bilateral series wins over West Indies, an ongoing record for any team against a single opposition.

For Rahul personally, the timing could not be better. With competition for middle-order spots fiercer than ever, an unbeaten 129 under pressure — on a day Indian cricket was already celebrating gold — is the loudest possible statement. The KL Rahul 129 will be remembered long after this series.

West Indies were 25/0 after 2 overs in reply at the time of writing. Sources: The Tribune, NDTV Sports.