Ponnan Rahul

{{short description|Indian cricketer}}

{{use Indian English|date=October 2017}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2017}}

{{Indian name|Rahul|Ponnan}}

{{Infobox cricketer

| name = Ponnan Rahul

| image =

| country =

| fullname =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1992|2|4|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Alappuzha, Kerala, India

| death_date =

| death_place =

| batting = Left-handed

| bowling = Right-arm offbreak

| role = Opening batter

| club1 = Kerala

| year1 = 2017{{endash}}present

| clubnumber1 =

| club2 =

| year2 =

| clubnumber2 =

| columns = 3

| column1 = FC

| matches1 = 13

| runs1 = 526

| bat avg1 = 22.86

| 100s/50s1 = 1/3

| top score1 = 127

| catches/stumpings1 = 13/0

| column2 = List A

| matches2 = 6

| runs2 = 124

| bat avg2 = 31.00

| 100s/50s2 = 0/10

| top score2 = 36

| catches/stumpings2 = 4/0

| column3 = T20

| matches3 = 2

| runs3 = 11

| bat avg3 = 5.50

| 100s/50s3 = 0/0

| top score3 = 7

| catches/stumpings3 = 1/0

| hidedeliveries = true

| date = 28 December 2022

| source = http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/1121446.html Cricinfo

}}

Ponnan Rahul (born 4 February 1992) is an Indian cricketer who represents Kerala in domestic cricket. He is a left-handed top order batsman and occasional right-arm off-spinner.{{Cite web|url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/1121446.html |title=Ponnan Rahul |access-date=6 October 2017 |work=ESPN Cricinfo}}

Domestic career

After representing Kerala in U-22 and U-25 levels, Rahul made his first-class debut for Kerala in the 2017–18 Ranji Trophy on 6 October 2017 against Jharkhand.{{cite web |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/1118615.html |title=Group B, Ranji Trophy at Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 6-9 2017 |access-date=6 October 2017 |work=ESPN Cricinfo}} He played 6 matches in the 2018–19 Ranji Trophy, scoring 370 runs and finished the tournament as Kerala's fourth highest run-scorer.{{cite web|url=https://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/averages/batting_bowling_by_team.html?id=12592;team=1912;type=tournament|title= Records / Ranji Trophy, 2018/19 - Kerala / Batting and bowling averages|work=ESPN Cricinfo}} He also scored his maiden first-class century in the season.{{cite web|url=https://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/106029/ranji-highlights-rajasthan-qualify-maharashtra-relegated |title=Ranji highlights: Vidarbha qualify, Maharashtra relegated |work=Cricbuzz |access-date=8 January 2019}} However, he scored just 137 runs from five matches in the next Ranji season{{cite web|url=https://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/averages/batting_bowling_by_team.html?id=13223;team=1912;type=tournament|title= Records / Ranji Trophy, 2019/20 - Kerala / Batting and bowling averages|work=ESPN Cricinfo}} with a highest score of 97.{{cite web|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/cricket/ranji-trophy-group-a-robin-uthappa-s-hundred-takes-kerala-to-276-3-as-delhi-spinners-falter-on-opening-day/story-JjYk0N45lyLtQmEGVZExwJ.html|title=Ranji Trophy, Group A: Robin Uthappa’s hundred takes Kerala to 276/3 as Delhi spinners falter on opening day|work=Hindustan Times}}

He made his List A debut on 29 September 2019, for Kerala in the 2019–20 Vijay Hazare Trophy against Hyderabad.{{cite web |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/1200766.html |title=Elite, Group A, Vijay Hazare Trophy at Alur, Sep 29 2019 |access-date=29 September 2019 |work=ESPN Cricinfo}} He made his Twenty20 debut on 8 November 2019, for Kerala in the 2019–20 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy against Tamil Nadu.{{cite web |url=http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/1205716.html |title=Group B, Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy at Thumba, Nov 8 2019 |access-date=8 November 2019 |work=ESPN Cricinfo}}

Rahul made a career-best score of 147 against Meghalaya in the 2021-22 Ranji Trophy.{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/ranji-trophy-2021-22-1280196/kerala-vs-meghalaya-elite-group-a-1280408/full-scorecard|title=Elite, Group A, Saurashtra, Feb 17 - 20 2022, Ranji Trophy|work=ESPN Cricinfo|access-date=18 February 2022}}

Personal life

Rahul narrowly survived a motorcycle crash in 2017.{{cite web|title=Ranji Trophy: For Kerala, Ponnam Rahul and Vinoop Manoharan are the accidental openers|first=Vishal|last=Menon|place=Wayanad|date=24 January 2019|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/cricket/kerala-ponnam-rahul-and-manoharan-the-accidental-openers-5553010/|work=The Indian Express|access-date=15 November 2021}}

References

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