After a strong show in IPL, Rahul eyes a return to T20 squad ahead of World Cup

It's been close to three years since Rahul played a T20 for India. His last outing was India's semifinal defeat to England at the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia

New Delhi: Senior India batter KL Rahul has set his sights on a return to India’s T20 squad ahead of the 2026 World Cup at home, saying that time away from the format has allowed him to recalibrate his white-ball game.

It’s been close to three years since Rahul played a T20 for India. His last outing was India’s semifinal defeat to England at the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia.
“Yes, I want to get back in the T20 team and the World Cup is on my mind, but for now it’s just trying to enjoy how I’m playing right now,” Rahul told Sky Sports.

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India, the reigning T20 Champions, are set to co-host the World Cup with Sri Lanka early next year.

Rahul’s IPL 2025 campaign came to an end after Delhi Capitals failed to qualify for the playoffs, but the 33-year-old once again proved his consistency, amassing 539 runs in 13 matches at a brisk strike rate of 149.72.

It was the fifth time in six seasons, he scored 500-plus runs. Yet, despite the volume of runs, Rahul has often faced scrutiny over his strike rate, something he has worked on.
“I obviously had some time to think about my white-ball game, I was quite happy with my performances and where I was. But (there) was a time, probably 15 months ago or 12 months ago, where I realised that the game is slightly getting ahead or it’s changing and becoming much more faster.

“…that it’s become more about the team that hits more boundaries is winning the games more often than the team that’s, I can’t say playing smarter, but the team that doesn’t hit as many boundaries is always finding themselves on the losing side.” The time away from T20 internationals, however, has given Rahul the space to reflect on his white-ball game.
“So that’s where white-ball cricket is getting and I haven’t been part of the T20 team in the last couple of years. That’s given me some time to think about my T20 game as well.”

“So, overall, just sitting and thinking about where I can get better, where the game’s gone and what I need to do to catch up with the game and what can I do to perform and get back in the T20 team, what can I do to become an important player for my team in ODI and T20 overall in white-ball cricket…”

Rahul has been a mainstay in the ODI side and played a key role in India’s recent Champions Trophy triumph, scoring 140 runs in five matches at a strike rate of 97.90, solidifying the middle order.

Never had the choice to decide batting position

In his over a decade long career, Rahul has been a floater in the Indian team. His batting spot in both ODIs and Test have been far from steady all these years.
But Rahul said he has always been happy to tweak his game according to the team’s need.

“If you have seen how my career has gone, I don’t think I really had a choice, or I have never been a player to speak with the selectors and sit with the captain and tell the captain that this is what I want to do,” he said, reflecting on his career.

“I just want to be in the team and whatever challenge is thrown at me, I have found that’s better for me to adapt to rather than me trying to sit and think about what I need to do,” Rahul said.

We could have batted better in last couple of Test series

India endured a wretched run in the red ball formats recently, losing 0-3 to New Zealand at home before conceding the Border-Gavaskar Trophy to Australia.

“Last couple of Test series we should have batted better. Losing three Tests at home in conditions that we know. New Zealand found a way of keeping us quiet, not giving us easy boundaries. We had to really work hard for runs and that built pressure and we played some bad shots,” said Rahul. “The wicket had a bit for spinners but they found a way to put pressure. If we had batted better, we’d be at a better place against New Zealand. And then somehow we carried the habit of not being able to win crucial moments in the game and did the same mistakes in Australia.”