KL Rahul Hits Century Ahead of England Test Series

KL Rahul returned to long-format cricket with a century (116 off 168 balls) for India A against the England Lions in the second unofficial Test at Northampton, boosting his prospects ahead of India's five-Test series in England. His performance, supported by runs from Dhruv Jurel and Karun Nair, came under challenging conditions, especially against pacer Chris Woakes. The Test series is set to start at Headingley on June 20 and will be the first in the new World Test Championship cycle. India enters a new era under Shubman Gill’s captaincy after the retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, while KL Rahul is likely to open alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal. England is also integrating key players like Woakes as both teams undergo transitions. Rahul's form is seen as crucial for India's prospects in this phase.