Picture Credit: BCCI/IPL
Delhi Capitals (DC) batter KL Rahul was seen having a chat with his team’s mentor Kevin Pietersen after playing a match-winning innings against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. In DC’s 25-run win, Rahul chipped in with his 77 off 51 and became the recipient of the player of the match (POTM) award. The right-handed batter got the chance to open the innings for Delhi in the absence of Faf du Plessis, who couldn’t make it to the playing XI due to a fitness issue. Rahul grabbed the opportunity with both hands and delivered a solid innings to his team. DC's win over CSK have put them on the top of the points tally with three off three wins.
Pietersen looked impressed with Rahul’s batting show but the 32-year-old reminded the former England batter of his old tweet linked to him. "It's better than watching the paint of the wall dry. Exactly, that was your tweet about me one day," said Rahul to Pietersen. Replying to the India wicketkeeper-batter, Pietersen remarked, "Did I say that? Well, I am glad you've changed your game."
Rahul realises T20 cricket has changed a lot
In the conversation with Pietersen, Rahul also remarked that he has realised that the T20 cricket has changed and the format is now only about hitting boundaries. The veteran added that he reformed his playing style and also relinquished the thought of taking the game deep.
“I think somewhere along the way I lost the fun of hitting boundaries and hitting sixes. I wanted to take the game deep, deep, deep, and that somehow stuck in my head. But now I’ve realised that I need to go back,” added Rahul in a video posted on the IPL website.
