India opener KL Rahul dedicated his century celebration to his daughter Evaarah after bringing up a long-awaited home hundred against the West Indies on Day 2 of the Ahmedabad Test on Friday.

Rahul and his wife, actress Athiya Shetty, welcomed their daughter on March 24 this year, and the opener said the milestone knock carried a special meaning for him. “It was for my daughter,” Rahul revealed at stumps when asked about the gesture. Back at the top of the order after a successful tour of England, Rahul admitted he had felt more nerves in a preparatory game against Australia A than in this series. “I just played a game last week. I was a bit nervous there because I wasn’t on the field for 5-6 weeks. To get back into rhythm, spend time in the middle, and play four-day and five-day cricket was a challenge physically,” he said.

Rahul also noted the testing conditions in Ahmedabad. “The game I played last week was even tougher. It’s been physically challenging, but it was important to get those miles in the legs. That helped me today.”

Reflecting on his recent run, the stylish right-hander said he is enjoying the chance to adapt to different challenges. “Playing in England was fun. Getting runs there gave me confidence, and coming into this game with some runs behind me also helped. After a longish break, I feel fresher and I’m really enjoying being back in the middle.”

With his latest knock, Rahul has taken his tally to 632 runs in six Tests in the ongoing World Test Championship (2025–27) cycle, reaffirming his role as a key figure.

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