Will KL Rahul Play for Team India in T20Is Again? Kevin Pieterson Speaks – KL Rahul has always been one of the talented batters in world cricket. He is elegant, pleasing to the eyes, technically very sound, and has a range of shots. The right-handed batter played so many match-winning knocks for Team India and in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for different teams. But, as far as T20 cricket is concerned, the former cricketers, experts, and fans have questioned his strike rate and his way of approaching the format. Now, in the IPL 2025, he seems to have found his mojo back in the shortest format, and Kevin Pieterson has talked about Rahul’s comeback in the T20I setup in the middle order.
Today, we will see what Kevin Pieterson said about Rahul’s T20I comeback for India. We will also try to figure out will KL Rahul play for India in T20Is again? Pieterson also talked about a few other things in his interview. So, without wasting any time, let’s delve deep into this.
Has KL Rahul Found His Mojo Back in T20 Cricket?
KL Rahul has always been an all-format player. He has done well in T20 cricket over the years, whether it is for Team India or in the IPL. The right-handed batter has also played in the middle order in T20 cricket and has had good performances. But, in this new age, where the batters look to attack every ball and try to dominate the opposition bowlers, there were some questions on KL Rahul’s strike rate and his approach in this format.
KL Rahul has been dropped from the Indian T20I team as well after the team’s 2022 T20 WC exit in the semifinal. In the IPL 2024, he played for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and even after scoring 520 runs, his strike rate was 136.13, where the other batters have set the benchmark higher when it comes to strike rate. The LSG franchise released KL Rahul before the IPL 2025 auction.
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DC Signed KL Rahul for IPL 2025
Delhi Capitals (DC) signed Rahul in the IPL 2025 auction, and he is doing well for them this season. As of April 28, 2025, he has scored 364 runs in 8 games at an average of 60.67 and a strike rate of 146.18. He has already got three fifties to his name, and his highest score is 93*.
What did Kevin Pieterson say on KL Rahul’s Performance in IPL 2025?
Kevin Pieterson, who is a mentor for DC this season, has talked about Rahul’s performances. Will KL Rahul play for India in T20Is again? – Pieterson thinks so. He is impressed with Rahul’s batting approach this season. The Englishmen even think that KL Rahul should play for India in T20Is in the middle order, at No. 4.
With India having too many options in the opening slot, and a few options in the top order, Kevin Pieterson thinks that Rahul could bat at No. 4 for Team India. He also talks about how Rahul finished games for India in the middle order and in the recently concluded ICC Champions Trophy 2025. India won the CT 2025, and Rahul played a few important knocks in the middle order.
Rahul Has Adapted to the Situation Very Well – Kevin Pieterson
Kevin Pieterson said Rahul has been in a positive frame of mind for the last year or so. He has had a lot of conversations with Rahul regarding adapting to the needs of the T20 format nowadays. “You learn defense, elbow up, and how to play in the V when you’re a kid like him (Rahul), but suddenly in your thirties you have to adapt it and become a different player for a different format that is constantly changing.” – Pieterson said in an interview with IPLT20. (Quoted by us).
Pieterson praises Rahul’s ability to adapt to the changing needs in the shortest format of the game, which is very difficult.
Pieterson on Rahul Adapting to the Wicket in DC vs RCB Game
Delhi Capitals (DC) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) locked horns against each other at Arun Jaitley Stadium on April 27, 2025, in the 46th league stage game. It was a tricky wicket to bat on, and DC managed to score 162 in the first inning. At one stage, RCB were 26 for 3 before Virat Kohli and Krunal Pandya first consolidated, and took the team to a winning position.
Pieterson said a lot of the young players will not be going to play test cricket. The way they play their shot is utter madness. But the pitch on offer in the DC vs RCB game wasn’t meant to be for those shots. Pieterson was impressed with Rahul and Kohli’s approach on that wicket.
“Virat found rhythm this evening, and KL did too. I believe that’s where you see the real batter, the batter who can come out there and sort of monitor the situation, and it looks effortless because they’ve built a technique for 20 or 30 years. On the other hand, you give the absolute belters, and then the next generation can come in and do all sorts of things.” – Pieterson added. (Quoted by us).
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Will KL Rahul Play for India in T20Is Again?
Now, the question arises – will KL Rahul play for India in T20Is again? So the answer is yes. If he continues to bat the way he has been doing in the IPL 2025, he will come back in India’s T20I setup. The only problem is where will KL Rahul play in T20Is, because the to order is already occupied. So the solution is in the middle order.
KL Rahul has played for India in the middle order in T20Is. He has been a regular feature in India’s ODI setup and did well in T20Is in the past. Remember his T20I hundred against West Indies (WI), batting at No. 4. India was about to chase 240+ before DJ Bravo won the game for WI on the last ball against MS Dhoni.
CONCLUSION
KL Rahul himself said in an interview that he lost the fun of hitting boundaries and sixes. The approach of going deep and deep in the game stuck in his head. Rahul said he realises that T20 cricket is all about hitting boundaries. The cricket has changed, and a team that hits more boundaries and sixes eventually wins the game, that’s what Rahul feels.
Rahul has a lot of talent. He will have to continue scoring runs and winning games for his team. The selectors won’t ignore a player of his player if he delivers good performances.
What do you think? Will KL Rahul play for India in T20Is again? And if yes, will he open the inning or play in the middle order? Comment on your opinion below. Thank you for reading. We hope you liked it. Keep following us for the latest updates.
FAQs:-
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How many runs KL Rahul has scored in T20Is while batting in the middle order (No. 4 or below)?
As of April 2025, KL Rahul has played 68 innings in T20Is. He has only played four innings at No. 4 or below (all at No. 4), and scored 174 runs at an average of 87 and a strike rate of 175.76. At No. 3, he has played ten innings and scored 265 runs. While opening the inning, he has played 54 innings and scored 1826 runs, with the highest score of 91. He has a hundred while batting at No. 3 and 4.
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How many runs KL Rahul has scored in the IPL while batting at No. 3 or below?
As of April 28, 2025, KL Rahul has played 31 innings in the IPL as a non-opener. He has scored 787 runs and has four fifties to his name.
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How many runs KL Rahul has scored in the IPL?
As of April 28, 2025, KL Rahul has played 140 matches in the IPL and scored 5047 runs at an average of 46.30 and a strike rate of 135.38. He has four hundreds and 40 fifties to his name in the IPL, as of now. His highest score of 132* came against RCB, a franchise where he started his IPL career.
