In the second One Day International match between India and New Zealand held on Wednesday, January 14, 2026, KL Rahul played a pivotal role by scoring a heroic unbeaten century. Rahul's masterful knock of 112 runs off 92 balls steered India to a competitive total of 284 for 7 in their allotted 50 overs at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot. Coming in during a challenging phase, Rahul's innings was particularly significant as India had experienced a middle-order slump, losing wickets consistently. The pitch was described by various reports as a 'slow' and 'tricky surface' with 'variable bounce and slowness,' making run-scoring difficult. Despite these conditions, Rahul showcased exceptional temperament and skill, building crucial partnerships, including a 73-run stand with Ravindra Jadeja and a 57-run stand with Nitish Kumar Reddy, to stabilize the innings and then accelerate towards the end. His century, which included 11 boundaries and one six, was his eighth in One Day Internationals and his third while batting at No. 5 or lower, also his third as a wicketkeeper. Other notable contributions came from captain Shubman Gill, who scored a fluent 56 runs, and Rohit Sharma with 24 runs, providing a positive start before the Kiwi spinners tightened their grip. New Zealand's Kristian Clarke was the pick of the bowlers, taking three wickets. The target set by India for New Zealand was 285 runs to level the three-match series, which India currently leads 1-0. The Hindustan Times article's headline accurately captured the essence of the match's first innings, highlighting Rahul's crucial performance under pressure. This event was widely covered by other credible Indian news sources such as The Indian Express, The Times of India, Mint, and The Tribune, all corroborating the scores, individual performances, and match context.