Delhi Capitals ke mentor Kevin Pietersen ne ek press conference mein khul ke kaha ki KL Rahul ko India ke T20I squad mein wapas aana chahiye. Aur sirf wapas nahi, unka kehna hai ki Rahul wicketkeeping bhi karein aur batting karein no. 4 par – opening ki jagah!
“Main KL ko India ke liye T20 cricket mein no. 4 par bat karwata. Tumhare paas already kaafi opening options hain – Surya, aur baaki sab. KL jaisa form dikha raha hai, woh mera pehla pick hota no. 4 ke liye aur wicketkeeper bhi wahi hota,” Pietersen ne kaha match ke baad jab DC ne RCB se 6-wicket se haar jheli.
KL Rahul ka T20I record no. 4 par zyada bada nahi hai. 2022 T20 World Cup ke baad se unhone T20I nahi khela hai. Unka strike rate as opener often criticize hua hai. Lekin jab unhone 4th position par khela, unhone 4 innings mein 174 runs banaye – jisme ek shandar 110* run ki knock West Indies ke khilaf bhi shamil thi.
IPL 2025 mein KL Rahul ka form kaafi tagda raha hai. 8 matches mein unhone 364 runs banaye, average 60.67 aur strike rate 146.18. Season ke start mein unhone kaha tha ki unhe boundaries maarne ka maza chala gaya tha, par jab Harry Brook ne tournament se back out kiya, tab se Rahul ne responsibility uthayi aur team ko lead kiya.
“KL ne pichle saal ke end se kaafi positive intent ke saath khelna shuru kiya hai. ICC Champions Trophy 2025 mein unka turnaround shuru hua. Maine uske saath kaafi gehri aur meaningful conversations ki hain. Jab aap bachpan se technique-based batting seekhte ho aur 30s mein aake format badalna padta hai, toh woh kaafi tough hota hai,” Pietersen ne bataya.
“Par KL ne jis tarike se change accept kiya, woh uske character ka proof hai. Uska practice karne ka tareeka, mindset, aur game ko samajhne ka nazariya – sab positive hai. That’s KL for you,” unhone joda.
RCB ke khilaf low-scoring pitch par performance ki bhi Pietersen ne tarif ki. Unka kehna tha ki aise wickets par flashy shots se kaam nahi chalega – rhythm aur method zaroori hai. Unhone Virat Kohli aur KL Rahul dono ki game awareness ko appreciate kiya.
“Aaj ki pitch jaisi wickets par aapko methodical khelna padta hai. Virat ne rhythm pakdi, KL ne bhi. Yeh wahi players hain jo 20-30 saal se technique build kar rahe hain. Jab pitch belter ho, toh naye players flashy shots khelte hain, par tough wickets par asli batter ki pehchaan hoti hai,” Pietersen ne conclude kiya.
Points Table update: RCB ne apni 7th jeet ke saath table top kiya hai, jabki DC abhi 9 matches mein 6 jeet ke saath 4th spot par hai. DC ka agla match KKR ke khilaf 29 April ko Delhi mein hai.
