After Hardik Pandya's Move To Mumbai Indians, KL Rahul To Return To RCB? Indian Star Drops Bombshell

Indian wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul shared his deep connection with the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the Indian Premier League (IPL). KL Rahul revealed that playing for RCB had been a childhood dream of his since the inception of the tournament.

KL Rahul made his IPL debut for the Bengaluru franchise as a wicketkeeper-batter during the 2013 competition. The right-handed batter represented the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in 2014 and 2015. He joined the RCB ahead of the 2016 edition of the tournament.

Rahul emerged as RCB’s third-highest run-scorer in the 2016 season, where his franchise finished as the runner-up. He missed the 2017 season due to a shoulder injury. In the 2018 IPL Auction, he was acquired by Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) for Rs 11 crore.

Always Dreamt Of Playing For RCB When IPL Started – KL Rahul

During a recent interview, KL Rahul expressed his gratitude to Royal Challengers Bangalore for providing him with an opportunity to showcase his talent. He highlighted that RCB is very close to his heart, considering the fortunate years he spent playing for the franchise.

“RCB gave me the opportunity to showcase my talent when I was young – I am also from Bangalore so I always dreamt of playing for RCB when IPL started – I was lucky that I got to play for them for a few years so RCB is very close to me,” Rahul told SG Cricket.

Rahul scored 417 runs in 19 IPL matches with RCB from 2013 to 2016. Notably, the 31-year-old batter has an impressive batting record against RCB, accumulating 628 runs in 15 matches against Virat Kohli’s team, with his highest IPL score (132*) achieved against them.

KL Rahul’s Instinct Is Equal To MS Dhoni – Sanjay Manjrekar

In an interview with ESPNcricinfo, Sanjay Manjrekar praised KL Rahul’s captaincy, noting the keeper-batter’s relaxed demeanor and positive mindset on the field. Manjrekar also commended Rahul for his DRS calls, likening his instincts to those of MS Dhoni.

“These days, when you see KL Rahul on the ground, he looks very relaxed and in a good mind space. He captained as expected. He looks comfortable in the leadership role. He has led a lot in the IPL, in a Test match in South Africa and in one-day matches as well. You can expect KL Rahul not to make any big mistake. He is an expert in DRS. His instinct is equal to MS Dhoni,” Manjrekar said.

Rahul recently captained the Indian ODI team in South Africa, securing a 2-1 series win. He became the second Indian captain, after Virat Kohli, to achieve this feat in South Africa. He is expected to keep stumps in the upcoming two-match Test series against South Africa.

The first Test match is scheduled to commence on Tuesday, December 26, at SuperSport Park in Centurion. The second Test will be played at Newlands in Cape Town, starting on January 3. The visitors will be hoping to register their first Test series victory in South Africa.

Also read: IND vs SA: Watch- KL Rahul Sacrifices His Impact Fielder Of The Series Medal For Debutant Sai Sudharsan