When the dust clears, and another season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) concludes, the selectors of India will spring into action for their next major challenge - the 2026 T20 World Cup. It is improbable that a new player would be integrated so close to the World Cup, resulting in a rivalry among some well-known veterans and a few fringe players. However, despite the BCCI selection committee having several months before they start contemplating the potential compositions, Kevin Pietersen, mentor for the Delhi Capitals, endorsed KL Rahul's re-entry into the T20I setup.

Rahul has not featured in the Indian T20I squad since the 2022 World Cup held in Australia. He even did not make the roster for the 2024 T20 World Cup team, despite achieving a 500-run IPL season last year. Nonetheless, a transformed approach to T20 cricket in the current IPL edition impressed Pietersen, who supported Rahul for the No. 4 batting position as a wicketkeeper in the Indian T20I lineup.

"I would position KL at number four for India in T20 cricket; I believe you guys have ample opening batsmen, you have Surya who plays at the top, you have all these players, but considering the manner in which KL Rahul is playing cricket now, he would be my primary choice to bat at four and serve as wicketkeeper for India," Pietersen remarked.

For Rahul, who gained prominence in the IPL in 2016 while wearing the Royal Challengers Bengaluru jersey, the year 2018 stands out as one of his finest seasons, during which he scored 659 runs at a strike rate of 158. 41. He surpassed the 500-run milestone five times in the following six seasons; however, he fell behind in the race with his strike rate languishing in the 130s, amid the evolving nature of the format. Additionally, his captaincy roles with the Punjab Kings and the Lucknow Super Giants intensified the strain on his strike rate.

Nonetheless, in 2025, free from leadership responsibilities, Rahul has returned to his fluid, dynamic style of play. Although the statistics may not fully capture it, his innings in challenging conditions in Chennai and Bengaluru, where he scored well-paced 77 and 93* respectively, are noteworthy.

Pietersen also shared how Rahul transformed his style in T20 cricket since last year. "KL has been playing in a very aggressive manner since late last year, mid to late last year. We witnessed how he wrapped up a couple of matches for India and almost secured victory in the Champions Trophy in Dubai. I’ve had numerous remarkably insightful discussions with him regarding batting, a lot of profound and meaningful conversations because when you grow up as a young player like he did, being taught to focus on defense, keeping the elbow raised, and playing within the V, then suddenly in your thirties, you need to adapt and evolve into a different type of player for a format that is constantly changing. "

"It's extremely, extremely challenging. Therefore, the manner in which he has acknowledged that he requires change, and how he has transformed is a significant, significant testament to the individual he is. He maintains such a positive outlook, the way that he practices, the way that he trains, the way he contemplates the game, and also the way that he discusses the game. That’s KL," Pietersen went on.

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