Kevin Pietersen, mentor of the Delhi Capitals (DC), feels KL Rahul should be integrated into India’s T20I No. 4. He has had an electrifying beginning to his career here after acquiring the team for rupees 14 crores, in eight matches – scoring 364 runs, with a strike rate of 146.18 and an average of 60.66-including three fifties. He has not played since the T20 World Cup semi-final against England in 2022; however, his current form makes him deserving of a space on the national squad to Pietersen.
“I’d back KL at four for India in T20 cricket,” said Pietersen after DC’s six-wicket loss to Royal Challengers Bengaluru. It’s all about making the right choices at the right place and time. He added that an abundance of opening batsmen are in the pipeline-e.g., Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav; Rahul’s form over the past several months makes him at the top for that position and as a keeper.
In the last match, Rahul managed to gather 41 runs off 39 balls, which included three fours, and helped DC see itself to a score of 162 for eight. Unfortunately, it did not prove enough as RCB achieved their target with nine balls to spare. Praise indeed from Pietersen who commended Rahul’s positive as well bright mindset, for he had excelled during the Champions Trophy with 140 runs at an average of 140, including a top score of 42* against Australia in Dubai.
Pietersen also told how he had good conversation with Rahul on how to best adapt his technique to T20 cricket. Though he has been trying to play aggressive cricket, it is so hard to them whose beginnings are of being defensive while learning. “The way he’s accepted that fact-that change is needed and actually made those changes-spoils a lot about him,” Pietersen said. “He’s just really positive in his practice, his training, and his thoughts of the game.”
DC will be up against Ajinkya Rahane’s Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on April 29.
