KL Rahul might need not performed a T20I recreation for India for the reason that 2022 ICC T20 World Cup, however his dedication to return has caught the attention of none aside from Suresh Raina. The previous Indian cricketer believes that KL Rahul has achieved every little thing to be a part of India’s T20I setup.
The Indian selectors have been preferring aggressive and attacking batters like Abhishek Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson, and Shubman Gill within the shorter format of the sport, leaving elegant Rahul out of the aspect even after Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s retirement from the format.
Suresh Raina hails KL Rahul’s temperament
The 32-year-old has to this point performed 72 matches in T20I cricket and amassed 2,265 runs at a mean of 37.75 and a strike price of 139.13. Rahul additionally has two centuries and 22 half-centuries to his identify within the format. He’s additionally among the many Indians who’ve scored centuries in all three codecs.
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Nicely, the right-handed batter continues to be the important thing a part of India’s Check and ODI setup, and he has already made his intentions clear that he nonetheless belongs to the T20Is. Rahul turned heads along with his gorgeous performances for the Delhi Capitals within the IPL 2025.
He had scored 539 runs throughout 15 video games at a blistering strike price of 149.72. Nonetheless, it was Rahul’s adaptability, anchoring on the high and shifting gears within the center order, within the IPL 2025, that impressed everybody. Rahul even admitted that he labored on his recreation with Abhishek Sharma.
Suresh Raina backs KL Rahul’s T20I comeback for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026
Nonetheless, Rahul was missed for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025, which implies he’s all however out of the selectors’ plan for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 in India and Sri Lanka. And Suresh Raina has known as for the Karnataka star’s return to the aspect whereas mentioning how he labored laborious on his recreation.
Raina mentioned that Rahul’s class, composure, and sharp cricketing mind are one thing that India may want once more within the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. With T20 cricket demanding each firepower and finesse, the previous World Cup winner nonetheless feels India wants Rahul’s providers.
Suresh Raina mentioned on Shubhankar Mishra’s podcast on his YouTube channel, “He scored the runs. See, KL Rahul has a temperament. Folks suppose T20 is a really quick recreation the place you solely have to hit pictures, however the class, temperament, and recreation consciousness he possesses don’t come in a single day. He has labored lots, so I feel he’ll come again.”
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KL Rahul eyes India T20I return however retains deal with the current
Earlier, KL Rahul had mentioned that he feels assured about his latest performances. He had admitted that returning to T20Is and taking part in within the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 stay his targets, however he wished to remain within the second. His feedback got here within the wake of his gorgeous IPL 2025 present.
Rahul had acknowledged, “Sure, I need to get again within the T20I group, and the World Cup is in my thoughts, however for now it is simply making an attempt to take pleasure in how I am taking part in proper now.”
