'It is just to shut out the noise': KL Rahul's strong message for critics after fifth ODI ton

KL Rahul went on to notch his fifth ODI ton, before he was dismissed by Tom Curran on 108 off 114 balls, which included seven fours and two towering sixes.

KL Rahul celebrates after notching his fifth ODI ton. (Twitter/BCCI)

KL Rahul, who was going through a rough patch in the recently-concluded T20I series against England, has finally got back his groove as the 28-year-old scored a fine century in the second ODI in Pune on Friday. The batsman initially began playing a perfect second-fiddle to skipper Virat Kohli and reconstructed India's innings after losing two early wickets. 

Rahul went on to notch his fifth ODI ton, before he was dismissed by Tom Curran on 108 off 114 balls, which included seven fours and two towering sixes. During the course of his innings, Rahul stitched a crucial 121-run stand with his skipper for the third-wicket and added another vital 113 runs with wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant for the fourth wicket as hosts piled a gigantic 336/6 in 50 overs. 

After completing his century, Rahul celebrated the feat by putting both his hands on ears. On being asked about the celebration post the Indian innings, the right-handed batsman had a strong message for his critics. 

"It is just to shut out the noise, not to disrespect anyone. There are people out there who try to pull you down, at times you need to neglect them. So that's just a message to shut out that noise," Rahul said.  

Giving insights of his partnerships with Kohli and Pant, Rahul added: " It was a hot day and it was important for us to get a partnership. Really happy with what we have achieved after 50 overs. Scoring runs makes you confident, and that's what you want to do."

"I was disappointed after the T20 series, but that's how the game goes. Few quality shots eased my nerves. Really happy I was able to build those partnerships with Virat and Rishabh," he concluded.