KL Rahul reveals ugly dressing room clash with Rahul Dravid: “Why did you turn your back…”

Team India wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul recalled a story from the Asia Cup 2023 when he made a dream comeback to international cricket with a sensational century. The Karnataka batter revealed that he and then-head coach Rahul Dravid had a conversation about his celebration following the hundred.

Rahul got injured while playing for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) during the Indian Premier League 2023. He then underwent surgery and rehabilitation before returning to the Indian squad during the Asia Cup 2023. The right-handed batter made his comeback even more special with a century against Pakistan.

I Woke Up and Told Myself the Same Thing - KL Rahul

Speaking on the 2Sloggers YouTube channel, KL Rahul opened up about his emotional comeback during the Asia Cup 2023. He revealed that he had spent four challenging months in rehab after his injury, battling through both physical recovery and criticism.

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“This was right after my injury. I wasn’t even supposed to play this game. Shreyas was supposed to, but he got a back spasm, and I ended up playing. During those four months, I was with the physio, going through a tough phase," Rahul said.

"Even before that, there was a lot of criticism. Every morning, I woke up and told myself the same thing — that I’ll be the best player in the world. That’s how I kept motivating myself to keep going,” he added.

Rahul Dravid, Our Coach, Was a Little Upset - KL Rahul

KL Rahul shared that Rahul Dravid initially questioned why he turned his back to the dressing room during the gesture. Rahul clarified that the pose came from a dream he had during his four to five months of injury rehab.

The wicketkeeper-batter said that the celebration wasn’t just about him but represented everyone who supported him through that difficult phase.

“The dressing room was on this side, and I turned my back to it while doing the celebration. Rahul Dravid, our coach, was a little upset and asked why I turned my back on the dressing room," Rahul stated.

"I told him, ‘No sir, I didn’t mean it as disrespect.’ During those four or five months I was out injured, I had a dream about this celebration — like a statue pose. It wasn’t mine alone; it felt like it belonged to everyone. That’s why this celebration is so special to me,” he continued.

You will definitely love this side of KL Rahul.

Go & watch full epi on YouTube/2Sloggers. pic.twitter.com/IZjMQpko9o

— Kunal Yadav (@Kunal_KLR) October 28, 2025

KL Rahul Faced Criticism for Batting While Playing for Lucknow Super Giants

Lucknow Super Giants signed KL Rahul as their first draft pick for ₹17 crore. Over three seasons, he scored 1,410 runs at an average of 41.47 and led the team to a third-place finish in their debut IPL 2022 campaign.

However, the following year proved disastrous. During LSG’s ninth match of IPL 2023 against RCB, Rahul suffered a serious thigh tendon tear while fielding, forcing him to undergo surgery. He later described the season as his “worst-ever” in the IPL.

Despite the setback, Rahul made a memorable comeback later that year, scoring an unbeaten 111 against Pakistan in the Asia Cup. Tensions reportedly grew between Rahul and LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka the next season, and the two mutually agreed to part ways ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction.

Also read: ‘Abhishek Sharma is extremely dangerous, very explosive’: India head coach warns Mitchell Marsh & Co.