Contrasting Careers of KL Rahul and Murali Vijay
The Test careers of KL Rahul and Murali Vijay have followed distinct paths, even though both have played 61 Tests for India. While they share the same number of matches, their contributions to the game have varied significantly.
Murali Vijay made his debut in 2008 against Australia in Nagpur, stepping in for an unavailable Gautam Gambhir. The Chennai-born cricketer quickly became a key member of India’s Test team for nearly a decade. He gained recognition for his performances on challenging overseas tours, including in England (2014) and Australia (2014-15), where he was among the top scorers for the Indian team.
In contrast, KL Rahul began his Test career in 2014. His early promise was evident when he scored a century in just his second Test at Sydney. However, his Test career has been marked by fluctuations. Despite his talent, Rahul has often had to adapt to different positions in the batting order. Yet, he has emerged as one of the most reliable batters, with a standout performance in the ongoing 2025 Test series against England. Notably, he has also captained in three Test matches, securing wins on two occasions.
Statistical Comparison
Here is a comparison of their Test stats:
| Player | Matches | Innings | Runs | Average | 100s | 50s |
|—————-|———|———|——-|———|——|—–|
| Murali Vijay | 61 | 105 | 3982 | 38.28 | 12 | 15 |
| KL Rahul | 61 | 107 | 3632 | 35.26 | 10 | 18 |
These numbers highlight the slight edge that Vijay holds in terms of average and centuries, while Rahul has more fifties, indicating consistency across a larger number of innings.
Opening Partnership
There was a period when both Vijay and Rahul were part of India’s opening pair in red-ball cricket. They batted together in 26 innings, scoring a total of 543 runs with an average of 20.88, the lowest among pairs with 25 or more innings. Their struggles during the 2018 tour to Australia were evident, with Vijay scoring 11, 18, 0, and 20, while Rahul managed 2, 44, 2, and 0. This poor performance led to the selection of new openers such as Rohit Sharma, Mayank Agarwal, Shubman Gill, and Prithvi Shaw.
Murali Vijay’s Retirement
Murali Vijay officially retired from international cricket in 2023. His last appearance for India was in 2018, after which he bid farewell to the sport. Throughout his career, he accumulated 3982 runs at an average of 38.28, with 12 centuries to his name. His performances in the 2014 England series (402 runs) and the 2014-15 Australia series (482 runs) remain some of the highlights of his career.
KL Rahul’s Current Form
KL Rahul is currently one of the most experienced players in the Indian Test setup, especially with the retirement of the veteran trio of Ravichandran Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, and Virat Kohli. In the ongoing Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025, he has been in excellent form, scoring a century at Lord’s (his second at the venue), a 137 at Headingley, and a 55 at Edgbaston. He has looked exceptionally comfortable at the crease.
Rahul is also on the verge of joining an elite group of Indian batters. He needs just 11 more runs to become the fourth Indian player after Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, and Sunil Gavaskar to score 1000 runs in England. With a few games still remaining in the series, it is highly likely that he will achieve this milestone by the end of the tour.
