NEW DELHI: It has been a rollercoaster ride for KL Rahul in ODIs over the past 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 performance at the 2023 ODI World Cup, scoring 452 runs in 11 matches at an impressive average of 75.33. In the Champions Trophy, he again showed his class. His tally of 136 runs in the tournament might not win him many awards, but his importance to India in the middle order was immense. In the semifinal against Australia, he finished unbeaten on 42 and then steered India to their back-to-back ICC titles, finishing unbeaten on 34 off 33 balls against New Zealand in the final.
The right-hander was not just outstanding with the bat but also proved invaluable behind the stumps — guiding bowlers, assisting Rohit Sharma with DRS calls, and maintaining composure under pressure.
The emotions were raw and visible when KL Rahul finally lifted the Champions Trophy — his maiden ICC title. He knew exactly how much it meant to him.
However, despite his efforts, he was overlooked for the ICC T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies — a tournament India went on to win.
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Once an all-format mainstay, KL Rahul is once again digging deep to force his way back into India’s T20I setup. In fact, it seems he is already chasing another piece of ICC silverware — the 2026 T20 World Cup. The mega event 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 current form, the answer seems increasingly positive.
KL Rahul is in ominous touch — playing lofted drives, straight shots, pulls, and flicks — and is as sharp as ever behind the stumps. With 364 runs in 8 matches, Rahul is currently the highest run-getter for his team, 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 told 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 said.
“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, all of a sudden, in your 30s, you’ve got to change and become a different kind of player for a format that’s evolving all the time. It’s very, very difficult. The way he has accepted that he needed to change, and the way he has changed, is great credit to the person he is.
“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 said.
KL Rahul (41 off 39 balls) top-scored for Delhi Capitals, helping his side post a competitive total of 162/8 in 20 overs.
In response, Krunal Pandya and Virat Kohli struck half-centuries to guide Royal Challengers Bengaluru to a six-wicket win over Delhi Capitals.
The duo stitched together a 119-run partnership off 84 balls as RCB chased down the 163-run target in 18.3 overs, extending their unbeaten run away from home.
With the win, RCB notched up their seventh victory in 10 games, while Delhi Capitals suffered only their third loss in nine matches. Both teams remain firmly on track for a place in the playoffs.

TOI Correspondent from London: Hundreds of Indian-origin supporters gathered Sunday outside the Indian high commission in London, overwhelming a small protest organised by British Pakistanis aimed at “rejecting Indian propaganda” following the April 22 Pahalgam terrorist attack that left 26 people dead, mostly tourists.
While about 50 people turned up for the Pakistan protest opposite the high commission, hundreds of PIOs (persons of Indian origin) filled the area in front of the mission building. The Indian side, separated by police barricades, displayed a massive Tricolour on the building and used a loudspeaker to outvoice the Pakistani protesters, singing the national anthem and chanting “Jai Shri Ram”, “Vande Mataram”, and “Bharat Mata Ki Jai”. Some could be seen shaking water bottles.
The Pakistani protesters raised slogans against PM Narendra Modi and shouted “Pakistan Zindabad”, but lacked placards and enthusiasm. “This is a disaster,” said a Pakistani journalist on the scene. Mohsin, a protester, claimed the tensions were linked to upcoming assembly elections in Bihar.
“Modi needed this because of the elections in Bihar. They have blamed Pakistan without any investigation,” he said. “There won’t be war,” added Zubair, another protester, claiming that accusations of Pakistani involvement in the Pahalgam massacre lacked proof.
“They can’t stop the water coming to us as they have no dams. They can’t keep the water,” Zubair said, referencing India suspending Indus Waters Treaty in response to the Pahalgam attack.
On the Indian side, some participants waved both Indian and Israeli flags. Dheeraj questioned the motives behind the Pakistani protest: “Why are they even here protesting in front of the India high commission?” Placards held by Indian supporters read “Hafiz Saeed Mastermind 26/11” and “Professionalism at the best sar tan se juda — Pakistan high commission hospitality,” referencing a throat-slitting gesture made Friday.
“They are shamelessly protesting and pretending to be victims,” said Gaurav. Another supporter, Indranil, pointed to economic gains in J&K: “GDP has gone up considerably. Pakistan does not want to see J&K flourish. The terrorists shot men in front of their children. It was a cold-blooded genocide,” he said.
The protests have riled right-wing commentators in UK. Richard Tice, deputy leader of Reform UK, shared a video of the confrontation, writing: “If it’s not Gaza it’s India v Pakistan sectarian politics being fought on our London streets. Chaps this is Britain. Take your national disputes elsewhere.”
Journalist Isabel Oakeshott also posted a video, saying: “Dozens of Met Police are battling to separate Indian and Pakistani protesters as they hurl abuse at each other. UK multiculturalism has been a DISASTER!” GB News aired a segment titled “Has multiculturalism failed?” focusing on the protest.

NEW DELHI: Rishabh Pant’s struggles with the bat continued as he fell cheaply once again, this time against the Mumbai Indians at Wankhede Stadium on Sunday.
Pant managed just four runs off two balls before playing a poor shot that ended his stay. Trying a risky reverse sweep off Will Jacks, he mistimed it completely and handed an easy catch to Karn Sharma at short third man.
Pant, captaining the Lucknow Super Giants this season, has found it tough going.
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He has scored only 110 runs in 10 matches, with just one notable innings of 63 runs. With these numbers, Pant is staring at what could be his lowest IPL return since 2016.
After a strong comeback season last year, where he piled up 446 runs for Delhi Capitals, expectations were high, especially after LSG signed him for Rs 27 crore, making him the most expensive player in IPL history.
Pant’s failure triggered a wave of memes featuring Sanjiv Goenka, the LSG co-owner, across social media.
Meanwhile, Mumbai Indians put up a strong total of 215/7, thanks to explosive half-centuries from Ryan Rickelton (58 off 25) and Suryakumar Yadav (54 off 28).
Rickelton smashed the season’s fastest half-century for MI, while Suryakumar became the season’s highest scorer with 417 runs in 10 innings.

LSG’s bowlers struggled under the Mumbai heat and humidity, though Mayank Yadav and Avesh Khan managed two wickets each. Prince Yadav, Digvesh Rathi, and Ravi Bishnoi chipped in with a wicket apiece, but it wasn’t enough to halt MI’s charge.
With Pant’s form dipping and LSG’s playoff hopes in question, the pressure is clearly mounting — both on the field and across the internet.

NEW DELHI: Lucknow Super Giants’ fast bowler Mayank Yadav made a rousing return to competitive cricket, striking in style by dismissing Rohit Sharma in their IPL clash against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday.
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Returning after a long injury layoff, Mayank was handed the new ball by skipper Rishabh Pant and showed no signs of rust. His first over, bowled to Ryan Rickelton, featured four deliveries clocking over 140 kmph. Although Rickelton managed a boundary, Mayank’s control and sharp pace were impressive after nearly seven months out.
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The real highlight came in Mayank’s second over. After Rohit Sharma smashed him for back-to-back sixes — a deep square hit followed by a signature pull over square leg — the young pacer responded brilliantly. Regaining his composure, Mayank delivered a slower short ball that Rohit steered straight to Prince Yadav at short third man, falling for 12 off five balls.
Who’s that IPL player?
Mayank’s comeback is significant, given his injury struggles — including five stress fractures and a recent toe injury that delayed his return after joining LSG on April 16. His last competitive game was a T20I against Bangladesh in October 2024.
Replacing Shardul Thakur in the XI, the 22-year-old’s successful return was a major boost for LSG, who elected to field first after winning the toss.
Mumbai Indians made two changes themselves, bringing in Karn Sharma and debutant Corbin Bosch.
Playing XIs
Mumbai Indians: Ryan Rickelton (wk), Rohit Sharma, Will Jacks, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya (capt), Naman Dhir, Corbin Bosch, Trent Boult, Deepak Chahar, Karn Sharma
Lucknow Super Giants: Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant(wk/capt), Abdul Samad, Ayush Badoni, Digvesh Singh Rathi, Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan, Prince Yadav, Mayank Yadav

NEW DELHI: KL Rahul recently opened up about one of his biggest regrets in the IPL, the 2016 final loss with Royal Challengers Bangalore (now Royal Challengers Bengaluru) against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).
Speaking on Star Sports, Rahul revealed that he and Virat Kohli have often discussed that heartbreak over the past five to six years.
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“Virat and I have spoken about it many times. If one of us had played a little longer and won that game, it would have been very different. And winning an IPL is so special. That 2016 season was very special for RCB. We were at the bottom of the table and had to win seven games in a row to qualify, and we did. We went on to win the eliminator and made it to the final,” Rahul recalled.
Chasing 209, RCB fell just eight runs short, finishing at 200 despite Kohli’s 54 off 35 balls and Rahul’s 11 off 9.
Rahul reflected on how close they were to scripting a fairy-tale ending. “If one of us had stayed longer, it could have been a very different story. Winning at home in Chinnaswamy would have been unforgettable,” he said.
Beyond the regret, Rahul spoke about how his time at RCB changed him as a cricketer. Having joined as a youngster, Rahul said he initially lacked belief in his white-ball skills. However, sharing a dressing room with legends like Kohli, AB de Villiers, and Chris Gayle had a massive impact on him.
“Watching how Virat, AB, and Chris trained and approached the game was the best learning experience. I picked up so much from them — from fitness to mental toughness,” Rahul said. He credited Kohli’s fitness journey for inspiring him to take training more seriously, which led to improved consistency across formats.

“From 2014-15 onwards, I started believing I could succeed in white-ball cricket too,” Rahul added, highlighting how RCB laid the foundation for his growth as an international cricketer.