Kevin Pietersen on KL Rahul: ‘I back him to bat at No. 4 for India in T20 cricket’ | Cricket News

(*4*)New Delhi: Delhi Capitals’ KL Rahul performs a shot throughout an Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 T20 cricket match between Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, in New Delhi. (PTI Photo/Manvender Vashist Lav)

NEW DELHI: It has been a rollercoaster experience for KL Rahul in ODIs over the previous one and a half years. He has been India’s mainstay in the middle-order and with the gloves behind the wicket.
Kl Rahul delivered a stellar efficiency at the 2023 ODI World Cup, scoring 452 runs in 11 matches at a formidable common of 75.33. In the Champions Trophy, he once more confirmed his class. His tally of 136 runs in the event won’t win him many awards, however his significance to India in the center order was immense. In the semifinal towards Australia, he completed unbeaten on 42 after which steered India to their back-to-back ICC titles, ending unbeaten on 34 off 33 balls towards New Zealand in the ultimate.

The right-hander was not simply excellent with the bat but additionally proved invaluable behind the stumps — guiding bowlers, aiding Rohit Sharma with DRS calls, and sustaining composure beneath strain.
The feelings have been uncooked and visual when KL Rahul lastly lifted the Champions Trophy — his maiden ICC title. He knew precisely how a lot it meant to him.
However, regardless of his efforts, he was missed for the ICC T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies — a event India went on to win.
Who’s that IPL participant?
Once an all-format mainstay, KL Rahul is as soon as once more digging deep to pressure his approach back into India’s T20I setup. In truth, it appears he’s already chasing one other piece of ICC silverware — the 2026 T20 World Cup. The mega occasion is scheduled to be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka between February and March 2026.
Will he make it back into India’s T20I squad? Looking at his present kind, the reply appears more and more optimistic.
KL Rahul is in ominous contact — taking part in lofted drives, straight photographs, pulls, and flicks — and is as sharp as ever behind the stumps. With 364 runs in 8 matches, Rahul is at the moment the very best run-getter for his staff, Delhi Capitals, in IPL 2025.

Delhi Capitals mentor and former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen declared KL Rahul as his “first-choice to bat at No. 4 for India.”
“I back KL at No. 4 for India in T20 cricket,” Pietersen instructed reporters after the Delhi Capitals’ loss to Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Delhi.
“You’ve got Rohit and Yashasvi — you’ve got Surya, who bats at the top, you’ve got all of these guys. But the way KL Rahul is playing cricket now, he would be my first choice to bat at four and keep wicket for India,” Pietersen mentioned.
“KL has been playing in a very positive manner since mid to late last year. We saw how he finished off a couple of games for India and almost sealed the deal for you guys in the Champions Trophy in Dubai. I’ve had a lot of incredibly brilliant conversations with him about batting — a lot of deep and meaningful conversations — because when you grow up as a youngster like he did, you’re taught defence, elbow up, playing in the V.

“Then, swiftly, in your 30s, you’ve got bought to change and develop into a unique sort of participant for a format that is evolving on a regular basis. It’s very, very troublesome. The approach he has accepted that he wanted to change, and the way in which he has modified, is nice credit score to the particular person he’s.
“He is so positive — the way he practices, the way he trains, the way he thinks about the game, and also the way he talks about the game,” Pietersen mentioned.
KL Rahul (41 off 39 balls) top-scored for Delhi Capitals, serving to his aspect put up a aggressive whole of 162/8 in 20 overs.
In response, Krunal Pandya and Virat Kohli struck half-centuries to information Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a six-wicket win over Delhi Capitals.
The duo stitched collectively a 119-run partnership off 84 balls as RCB chased down the 163-run goal in 18.3 overs, extending their unbeaten run away from dwelling.
With the win, RCB notched up their seventh victory in 10 video games, whereas Delhi Capitals suffered solely their third loss in 9 matches. Both groups stay firmly on observe for a spot in the playoffs.