It has been three years since Rahul last featured for India in the shortest format, with his most recent appearance coming in the semifinal loss to England during the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia
KL Rahul (Pic: File Pic)
Over the years, KL Rahul has emerged as a versatile batsman for Team India. From opening the innings to batting in the middle order, the right-hander has adapted seamlessly to every role he has been assigned.
Reflecting on his batting position, Rahul said that he never had the privilege of choosing where he bats in the lineup. "If you have seen how my career has gone, I don't think I really had a choice, or I have never been a player to speak with the selectors and sit with the captain and tell the captain that this is what I want to do," he told Sky Sports.
He further emphasised that he prefers to take on whatever challenges are thrown at him rather than dwell on what role he should be playing. "I just want to be in the team and whatever challenge is thrown at me, I have found that's better for me to adapt to rather than me trying to sit and think about what I need to do," Rahul added.
The 33-year-old is also eyeing a comeback to India’s T20I setup ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026. "Yes, I want to get back in the T20 team and the World Cup is on my mind, but for now it's just trying to enjoy how I'm playing right now," said the Bengaluru-born cricketer. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is set to host the upcoming World Cup 2026 in partnership with Sri Lanka.
It has been three years since Rahul last featured for India in the shortest format, with his most recent appearance coming in the semifinal loss to England during the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia.
Turning to his Indian Premier League (IPL) performance, KL Rahul represented Delhi Capitals in the 2025 edition. The right-hander amassed 539 runs in 13 matches at a strike rate of 149.72. The season marked his fifth IPL campaign in which he crossed the 500-run milestone.
Speaking about his white-ball game, Rahul acknowledged that the demands of the modern game have shifted and now require a more aggressive approach.
"I obviously had some time to think about my white-ball game, I was quite happy with my performances and where I was. But (there) was a time probably 15 months ago or 12 months ago where I realised that the game is slightly getting ahead or it's changing and becoming much more faster," he said.
"...That it's become more about the team that hits more boundaries is winning the games more often than the team that's, I can't say playing smarter, but the team that doesn't hit as many boundaries is always finding themselves on the losing side," he added.
(With PTI Inputs)
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