KL Rahul blasted 129 off 87 balls in the third ODI at Guwahati, giving India a 351‑run total. Despite the big score, West Indies chased 352 in 48.2 overs, snatching the win and leaving India with a 2‑1 series lead.
The match swung in the final 10 overs when the ball softened and reversed swing. Rahul admitted, "It's not easy to hit 80‑90 in the last 10 overs when the ball reverses; you don't feel confident to take big shots."
Rahul said he is now working on attacking the older ball, preferring the hard ball but learning to hit sixes off the softer one. He added, "I want to spend more time at the crease, test my changes, and push the middle order to 370‑380 runs."
At No. 5 and No. 6 he has had limited long innings since January against New Zealand, so the 129 was a vital test of his new approach. "The longer rope is given to certain players for the World Cup," he told JioStar, stressing the need for patience and strike rotation.
India now heads into the final stage of the series with a 2‑1 advantage and will use the remaining games to fine‑tune their middle‑order strategy ahead of the 2027 World Cup in South Africa.