A standout feature of Rahul’s innings was how he tackled the unpredictable bounce. There was a patch near the good length area that caused the ball to jump erratically. Rahul faced such deliveries at least four times, yet managed to avoid danger each time—either by swaying away, dropping his wrists, or allowing the ball to hit his body.

Against England’s lone spinner, Shoaib Bashir, Rahul was equally assured. Bashir tried tempting him with a vacant cover region, but Rahul didn’t bite. He picked only the right balls to drive, using perfect timing to send them racing to the boundary across Headingley’s quick outfield. His cuts and drives were decisive, clean, and controlled—not a single extravagant shot, yet runs flowed freely.

There’s been much talk about the technique of young Gill and how it compares to someone like Rahul. In this match, those differences were on full display. While Gill chased a short rising delivery and edged it trying a horizontal bat shot, Rahul faced similar deliveries with vertical bats, playing late and dropping the ball safely.

Even Rahul’s dismissal came after six hours of grind and was more fatigue-induced than a lapse in judgment. His edge off Carse was nearly a carbon copy of Gill’s earlier dismissal, but it was understandable, given the circumstances. Still, by then, Rahul had already delivered the goods.