As the Indian cricket squad gears up for a two-match assignment in Sri Lanka beginning on August 15, veteran player KL Rahul stands on the brink of overtaking national team head coach Gautam Gambhir in career Test runs, needing a mere two runs to accomplish the feat.
Leadership Return and Career Milestones Having regained his place in the team’s leadership core this past June, the 2014-debutant arrives in the island nation ready to serve as a vital source of backing for captain Shubman Gill. Armed with 4,153 runs from 68 Test matches, the experienced right-handed batsman is on the verge of a personal landmark, requiring only two additional runs to move past India’s current head coach on the country’s historical Test run-scoring leaderboard. Gambhir amassed 4,154 runs during a 58-Test career that featured nine centuries and 22 fifties, sharing a compelling history with the player now poised to eclipse him. In a twist of fate, Gambhir’s own final appearance in India’s Test playing XI back in 2016 came to an end when a fully fit Rahul returned to reclaim his spot. Rahul’s own red-ball journey boasts 12 hundreds and 20 half-centuries, alongside a brief stint leading the side across three Tests.
