Pietersen Supports KL Rahul's Return to India's T20I Squad, Advocates for His Batting Position
In New Delhi [India], on April 29 (ANI), Kevin Pietersen, an esteemed English cricketer, expressed support for the return of seasoned Indian batsman KL Rahul to the T20 international squad. He pointed out significant advancements made by Rahul in his one-day performance recently.
Recently, Rahul has emerged as one of India's most reliable players in limited-overs cricket. He played a crucial part in guiding his team to the finals of the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup in 2023 and secured victory at the ICC Champions Trophy earlier this year.
However, the 33-year-old has not played for his nation in T20 international cricket since the semi-finals of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup in 2022, where India lost to England in Adelaide. During this tournament, he scored 128 runs in six matches, averaging just 21.33, although he did manage two half-centuries. Despite showing strong performance domestically in the shorter format, his international record remains limited during that period.
Rahul finished as the seventh leading run-scorer at last year's edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), amassing 520 runs for the Lucknow Super Giants at an average of 37.14, strike rate of 136.12, with four fifties. He has further upped his efforts this year as he continues to sit high up the run charts overall following some excellent innings for the Delhi Capitals, having made 364 runs in eight innings so far at an average of 60.66, with a strike rate of over 146 and three fifties.
At Delhi Capitals, Rahul has impressed Pietermaritzburg-born Pietersen, who serves as the team mentor. Working intensively with the Indian player, Pietersen foresees a comeback for the skilled batsman in T20 international cricket.
Although India boasts numerous choices for their opening positions, Pieteresen feels that Rahul could fit well into the number three spot in India’s T20I lineup, offering the squad a consistent presence in the middle order.
"Pietersen suggested during the post-match press conference following Delhi Capitals' loss to Royal Challengers Bangalore that he would position KL Rahul at number four for India in T20 cricket," according to ICC reports.
I believe India has an abundance of opening batsmen; they've got Surya (Suryakumar Yadav) batting up front. However, considering how well KL Rahul is performing right now, I'd select him as my number four batter and also ask him to keep wickets for the Indian team.
Rahul has recorded three half-centuries for Delhi this IPL season, with his standout innings being an undefeated 93* off only 53 balls against Royal Challengers Bangalore early last month in Bengaluru, leading them to victory.
Pietersen proposed that Rahul has modified his playing style recently to incorporate greater flair. The assurance he gained from being dismissed only once during this year’s Champions Trophy seems to be evident in his current performances.
"KL has been playing in a very positive manner since late last year, mid to late last year. We saw how he finished off a couple of the games for India and almost sealed the deal in the Champions Trophy in Dubai," Pietersen noted.
I’ve engaged in numerous highly insightful discussions with him regarding batting techniques, many of them profound and significant dialogues. Growing up as a young athlete, much like he did, you learn defense—keeping your elbow high, for instance. But later, once you reach your thirties, you must adapt and transform into a distinct type of player suited for an ever-evolving game format.
It’s incredibly challenging. The manner in which he has embraced the necessity for transformation, and how thoroughly he has altered his approach, speaks volumes about his character. His positivity shines through in every aspect—from his practice routines to his training methods, from his mindset regarding the game to his discussions about it. That’s KL,” he summed up. (ANI)