One of KL Rahul’s earliest trysts with keeping wicket in international cricket came in his fourth Test, against Sri Lanka at the P Sara Oval in Colombo in August 2015. Wriddhiman Saha, the designated stumper, picked up a right hamstring injury while batting on Day Four and Rahul took over the big gloves during Sri Lanka’s impossible chase of 413.

The hosts started Day Five on 72 for two, which became 72 for three after the very first ball, thanks to a sensational one-handed catch, diving full tilt to his right, by Rahul behind the sticks. Umesh Yadav produced a beauty that shaped just a little away from Angelo Mathews and caught the outside edge; the ball was dying between the ‘keeper and first slip when Rahul took off and came up with the cherry wedged in the webbing of his right glove. They say of wicketkeepers that they have had a very good game if they go unnoticed, but it was impossible not to notice this wonderful catch by someone who had slotted in as a wicketkeeper in his early days in school cricket but had since graduated to becoming a specialist batter alone.