KL Rahul's Success and Achievements in Timeline

A closer look at the biggest achievements of KL Rahul. Awards, milestones, and records that define success.

Kannaur Lokesh Rahul, commonly known as KL Rahul, is an Indian international cricketer. A right-handed batter and occasional wicket-keeper, he represents India in all formats of the game. In domestic cricket, he plays for Karnataka, and in the Indian Premier League (IPL), he represents Delhi Capitals. He is known for his elegant batting style and versatility across different batting positions.

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Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles

2014: Karnataka's First Triple-Centurion

In 2014, after returning home from the Test series, Rahul became Karnataka's first triple-centurion, scoring 337 against Uttar Pradesh. He also scored 188 in the Ranji Trophy final against Tamil Nadu.

2014: Duleep Trophy Final Performance

In 2014, playing for South Zone in the Duleep Trophy final, Rahul scored 185 and 130, earning him the player of the match award and selection to the Indian Test squad for the Australian tour.

2016: Return to RCB and Successful Season

In 2016, KL Rahul returned to RCB and finished the season as the 11th-highest run-scorer and RCB's third-highest, with 397 runs from 14 matches. He was named as wicketkeeper in the ESPNcricinfo and Cricbuzz IPL XI.

2016: ODI and T20I Debuts in Zimbabwe Tour

In 2016, Rahul was named in the squad to tour Zimbabwe. He made his ODI debut and became the first Indian cricketer to score a century on an ODI debut. Rahul was named the man of the series. He made his Twenty20 International (T20I) debut later in the same tour. He scored his first T20I century against West Indies with 46 balls and ended up scoring an unbeaten 110 off just 51 balls.

2016: Selected for England Test Series

In 2016, Rahul was selected for the Test series against England but was injured during training and ruled out of the third test. He made his comeback in the fourth test but failed to make an impact, later scoring his career-best 199 runs in the fifth test.

2018: Bought by Kings XI Punjab and Fastest IPL 50

In 2018, KL Rahul was bought by Kings XI Punjab for INR 11 crore in the IPL auction. He scored the fastest 50 in IPL history, reaching the milestone in 14 balls. He scored 659 runs in the season, and was named in the Cricinfo and Cricbuzz IPL XI.

December 2019: Milestone in T20I Cricket and Performance Against West Indies

In December 2019, during the first T20I match against the West Indies, Rahul scored his 1,000th run in T20I cricket. He also scored 62 (40) in the first T20I against West Indies and scored 91 (56) in the third T20I, for which he was the Man of the Match. Additionally, he scored his 3rd ODI century in the 2nd ODI against West Indies.

2019: Named Vice-Captain and Maiden IPL Century

In 2019, KL Rahul was named vice-captain for Kings XI Punjab. He scored his maiden IPL century, remaining 100 not out off 64 balls against Mumbai Indians. He scored 593 runs in the season.

2019: Man of the Series in New Zealand T20I Series

In 2019, during India's tour of New Zealand, Rahul was declared man of the series in the five-match T20I series for scoring 224 runs. He was also the stand-in captain in the 5th T20I.

January 2020: Man of the Match Against Australia

In January 2020, Rahul scored 80 (52) batting at number five in the second ODI against Australia and was named the man of the match.

September 2020: Highest Score by an Indian in IPL and Orange Cap

In September 2020, during a match against RCB, KL Rahul scored an unbeaten 132*, which was then the most runs scored by an Indian batsman in an IPL match. He won the Orange Cap for scoring the most runs in the season (670).

December 2021: Test Vice-Captaincy and ODI Captaincy Appointment

In December 2021, Rahul was named as India's Test vice-captain for the away series against South Africa and as the ODI captain for the One Day series, earning him the Man of the Match award after scoring 123 in the first test match against South Africa.

2021: Test Tour of England Performance

In 2021, Rahul was named to India's test squad for their tour of England, where he opened alongside Rohit Sharma due to injuries of other players. He scored 84 and 26 in the first test and 129 at Lords, earning the Man of the Match award.

April 2022: Centuries for Lucknow Super Giants

In April 2022, KL Rahul scored his first century for Lucknow (103* off 60) against MI. Eight days later, he followed this up with another unbeaten century (103* off 62) against the same opponent. He led his team to play-offs, scoring 616 runs with an average of 51.33.

2023: World Cup 2023 Campaign

In 2023, KL Rahul had a mixed performance during the World Cup. He scored an unbeaten 97 against Australia. Against the Netherlands, he made the fastest century by an Indian batter in a World Cup, reaching the milestone in 62 deliveries. In the final against Australia, Rahul top scored with 66 runs, but India lost the match.

2023: Return to Cricket in Asia Cup

In 2023, Rahul made his return to cricket in Asia Cup 2023 against Pakistan. Rahul scored an unbeaten century on his return, scoring 111 off 106 balls.

2023: Captain for ODI series against South Africa

On November 30, 2023, KL Rahul was announced as the captain for the 3-match ODI series against South Africa, as Rohit Sharma took a break after the 2023 Cricket World Cup. Rahul won the series 2-1, becoming the second captain after Virat Kohli to win an ODI series in South Africa.

January 2024: International Centuries Scored

As of January 2024, KL Rahul has scored 17 international centuries: 8 in Test cricket, 7 in One-Day Internationals, and 2 in T20Is. He is the only Indian player to score a century on his ODI debut and the first batsman to score a century in T20Is while playing at the 4th or lower batting position.

September 2024: Test Series Against Bangladesh

In September 2024, KL Rahul was named in the squad for the 2-match Test series against Bangladesh. Rahul scored a quick-fire 68 off 62 deliveries in the second test to help India secure a victory. He was then named in the Test squad against New Zealand, but after scores of 0 and 12 in the first test, he was dropped from the starting 11 for the remaining series.