Is KL Rahul ready to make a comeback in the Indian T20 team? Pietersen opines

KL Rahul has staged an impressive redemption in his standing as a batsman. The batter delivered one of the standout performances for India at the ICC Champions Trophy. As India lifted the ICC title, Rahul regained his credibility in the format after facing massive scrutiny for his knock in the India vs Australia final at the 2023 ODI World Cup. Now, the player has moved on to IPL 2025, where he is showcasing an evolved game, adapting seamlessly to the demands of modern T20 cricket. Playing purely as a wicketkeeper-batsman without any leadership responsibilities for Delhi Capitals, Rahul has been one of the standout performers of the season so far. Meanwhile, Kevin Pietersen has backed him to return to the Indian T20I setup.

Kevin Pietersen backs KL Rahul to return to the Indian T20I setup based on IPL 2025 form

As IPL 2025 swiftly nears its conclusion, the focus is slated to shift to the next ICC tournament, the 2026 T20I World Cup. With little time left before the tournament, it's improbable that a completely new name will be thrown into the mix, leaving selectors to choose between seasoned campaigners and a few fringe contenders. While the BCCI selection panel still has a few months before finalizing combinations, the Delhi Capitals mentor Kevin Pietersen has already thrown his support behind the return of KL Rahul return to the T20I squad.

Rahul has been absent from India's T20I setup since the 2022 World Cup in Australia and even missed out on selection for the 2024 T20 World Cup. Despite a strong IPL season last year where he amassed over 500 runs for LSG, Rahul remained out of India's plan for the World Cup. However, Rahul's refreshed and aggressive approach in IPL 2025 has caught Pietersen's eye, who believes Rahul could be a strong candidate for the No. 4 slot while also taking up wicketkeeping duties for India.

"I'd bat KL at four for India in T20 cricket; I think you guys have got plenty of opening batters, you've got Surya who bats at the top, you've got all of these guys but the way that KL Rahul is playing cricket now, he would be my first choice to bat at four and keep wicket for India," Pietersen said.

Having first made his mark during the 2016 IPL season with Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Rahul's standout campaign came in 2018 when he smashed 659 runs at a staggering strike rate of 158.41. Though he managed over 500 runs in five of the following six seasons, his relatively modest strike rate, often stuck in the 130s, saw him slip out of favor, especially as the demands of T20 cricket evolved.

His stints as captain of Punjab Kings and Lucknow Super Giants also seemed to weigh down his natural game. But in IPL 2025, freed from leadership responsibilities, Rahul appears to have rediscovered his fluent best. While the overall numbers may not fully capture his resurgence, his composed innings of 77 in Chennai and an unbeaten 93 in Bengaluru, both under testing conditions, have certainly stood out.