Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], July 27 (ANI): Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar hailed opener KL Rahul for showing his 'mental stamina' and consistency throughout the series, with many of his knocks coming while trying to save the match for his side.

KL is enjoying a rich run of form in England, having scored 508 runs in eight innings at an average of 72.57, with two centuries and two fifties each. He is India's second-highest run-getter in the series. This is his most successful Test series ever and in absence of legendary batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, KL has played the role of senior statesman of the team to the perfection.

Speaking on 'Match Centre Live', the JioStart expert Manjrekar said about Rahul, 'People often ask whether KL Rahul matured after the exit of a few senior batters -- maybe he was already mature, and was just taking on too much responsibility. What we're seeing now is consistency. It may have taken him slightly longer than expected, but he now knows how to carry his form from one innings to the next. His temperament is such that he naturally shoulders a lot of the load. You saw that-- when India lost two early wickets, KL Rahul was defending everything that came his way.'

'Shubman Gill, on the other hand, had a slightly different approach, and eventually that tempo caught up with KL. Against this kind of bowling attack, Rahul's defensive technique stands out. These pitches have been good for batting, and KL himself acknowledged this as the best surface yet. But he's shown the mental stamina to keep going. Many of KL's innings have come while trying to save the game -- and that makes the number of balls he's faced even more significant,' he added.

As the things stand now, KL is chasing his third century of the series and his fifth in England. He could become the first-ever Indian opener to have three centuries during a single series in England. He is also chasing legendary Sunil Gavaskar (19 fifty plus scores in SENA countries) in a race to be amongst India's most successful batters in South Africa, England, New Zealand and Australia (SENA) conditions, having registered 12 fifty-plus scores already. On Saturday, he also became only the second Asian batter after Gavaskar to score 500-plus runs in a series in England.

To this day, KL has scored 10 Test centuries and nine of them have come outside India. Seven of them have come in SENA nations. He could score his eighth SENA ton on the fifth day, just 13 runs shy of it.

But despite all of his success in overseas conditions, a hallmark of a great Indian batter, KL has struggled to maintain consistency throughout his career, scoring 3,765 runs in 62 Tests and 109 innings at an average of 36.20, which does not do justice to a player of his calibre, technique and temperament. He has scored 10 centuries and 19 fifties, with best score of 199.

Earlier in the fourth Day of the Test match, India recovered after initial shocks in their second innings of the fourth Test, but the team is still in deep waters with England scoring a massive 669 in their first innings and getting an overall lead of 311 runs over the visitors, who had made 358 runs in the second innings.

Big centuries from Joe Root and skipper Stokes and some extra runs from tailenders proved to be a serious headache for India.

The Indian second innings began on a shocking note with Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sai Sudarshan going back to the pavilion on a duck. KL Rahul and Captain Shubman Gill steadied India's innings with a patient and stellar stand of 174 runs.

India finished Day 4 on 174/2 and are now 137 runs behind England. If the Indian team can salvage the match on the fifth and final day on Sunday, it will be an achievement in itself.

England went wicketless in the final session as Indian batters added 126 runs to their tally, with KL Rahul 87* and Shubman Gill 78* unbeaten on the crease. India started the third session at 86/2 with Gill, who looked in fine touch, notched up his eighth Test fifty and fourth against England off 77 deliveries. (ANI)