‘If I could have played till…’: KL Rahul reveals his biggest regret in India’s ODI World Cup final loss
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NEW DELHI: KL Rahul, the talented Indian batsman and captain of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), recently shared one of the biggest regrets of his cricketing career and the time spent with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) franchise in the Indian Premier League (IPL).During a conversation on Ravichandran Ashwin‘s YouTube channel, Rahul expressed his regret about not being able to anchor his innings in the ODI World Cup final loss against Australia, which could have significantly contributed to his team’s success.He lamented not staying longer on the crease and guiding his team to a competitive total.
“The World Cup final against Australia, I was stuck in the moment, whether to take down (Mitchell) Starc or just play him as it was reversing, bowling in tough angle – in that confusion, I ended up nicking it – if I could have played till the end, it could have been 30-plus runs & probably World Cup in our hands – that is what I regret.”. Rahul said.
In the final, India posted a competitive total of 240 runs in their allotted 50 overs, having been sent in to bat first. Rahul, along with Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, played pivotal roles with scores of 66, 54, and 47 respectively. Despite a promising start to Australia’s chase, with the opponents at 47-3 at one stage, Travis Head’s stellar 137 guided them to a remarkable six-wicket victory in Ahmedabad.
Despite the disappointment of the final loss, Rahul’s performance throughout the tournament earned him widespread praise. His contributions with the bat and behind the stumps, as well as his astute DRS calls, showcased his versatility and skill set. Across 10 innings, Rahul amassed 452 runs at an impressive average of 75.33, including a century and two half-centuries. His highest score of 102 underscored his significance to the team’s batting lineup.
Rahul also shared with Ashwin the conversations he had with star batsman Kohli when he inked his IPL deal with RCB back in 2013. Expressing that playing for the franchise had always been a dream of his, he reflected on the immense learning journey it provided him.
“Virat was there (ITC Gardenia), coach Ray Jennings and other support staff were also there and Virat only said, ‘Would you want to sign this contract and play for RCB?’ I was like, ‘Are you kidding? It was always my dream.’ And then he said, ‘I am just kidding. It is not an option, just sign this contract.’ I signed and Virat said, ‘It is going to be a crazy ride. You are going to enjoy a lot in the next couple of months.'”
“The things that I learned (at RCB) in those two months–I mean, the amount of time it would have taken me to be the player by just playing Ranji Trophy would have probably taken 7-8 seasons. During those two months in the IPL, I gained so much knowledge and experience and everything was fast-forwarded,” he added.
Rahul’s journey in the IPL has seen him don various jerseys, showcasing his talent across different franchises. He represented RCB in the 2013 and 2016 seasons, followed by stints with Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) from 2014 to 2015 and Punjab Kings from 2018 to 2021. Since 2022, he’s been a key player for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG).
During his time with RCB, Rahul played 19 matches and 14 innings, accumulating 468 runs at an impressive average of 37.91 and a striking strike rate of 145.30. He notched up four half-centuries, with an unbeaten 68 being his highest score.
Reflecting on his IPL journey, Rahul expressed a desire to have concluded his IPL career with RCB, the team where he began. However, he acknowledged the dynamic nature of the IPL, which led him to different teams over the years.
Despite this, he embraced the opportunity to contribute to the creation of a new team and culture with LSG when he joined the franchise in 2022, highlighting his excitement for the fresh challenge.
“I would have also loved to play for Bangalore. I had started there, I would have liked to finish there and that was there in my head. But the beauty of IPL is that you get to go into different teams with different players,” said KL.
“When the two new teams came in and I had an opportunity to go there, that’s what excited me. To start a franchise from scratch. To create my own team, my own culture. It has been fun and hopefully I can finish there,” he concluded.
In 30 matches for LSG, KL has scored 1,094 runs at an average of 42.08, with two centuries and seven fifties. His best score is 103*. Currently, his team is at the fifth spot in the points table, with three wins, three losses and six points.
(With ANI inputs)
“The World Cup final against Australia, I was stuck in the moment, whether to take down (Mitchell) Starc or just play him as it was reversing, bowling in tough angle – in that confusion, I ended up nicking it – if I could have played till the end, it could have been 30-plus runs & probably World Cup in our hands – that is what I regret.”. Rahul said.
In the final, India posted a competitive total of 240 runs in their allotted 50 overs, having been sent in to bat first. Rahul, along with Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, played pivotal roles with scores of 66, 54, and 47 respectively. Despite a promising start to Australia’s chase, with the opponents at 47-3 at one stage, Travis Head’s stellar 137 guided them to a remarkable six-wicket victory in Ahmedabad.
Despite the disappointment of the final loss, Rahul’s performance throughout the tournament earned him widespread praise. His contributions with the bat and behind the stumps, as well as his astute DRS calls, showcased his versatility and skill set. Across 10 innings, Rahul amassed 452 runs at an impressive average of 75.33, including a century and two half-centuries. His highest score of 102 underscored his significance to the team’s batting lineup.
Rahul also shared with Ashwin the conversations he had with star batsman Kohli when he inked his IPL deal with RCB back in 2013. Expressing that playing for the franchise had always been a dream of his, he reflected on the immense learning journey it provided him.
“Virat was there (ITC Gardenia), coach Ray Jennings and other support staff were also there and Virat only said, ‘Would you want to sign this contract and play for RCB?’ I was like, ‘Are you kidding? It was always my dream.’ And then he said, ‘I am just kidding. It is not an option, just sign this contract.’ I signed and Virat said, ‘It is going to be a crazy ride. You are going to enjoy a lot in the next couple of months.'”
“The things that I learned (at RCB) in those two months–I mean, the amount of time it would have taken me to be the player by just playing Ranji Trophy would have probably taken 7-8 seasons. During those two months in the IPL, I gained so much knowledge and experience and everything was fast-forwarded,” he added.
Rahul’s journey in the IPL has seen him don various jerseys, showcasing his talent across different franchises. He represented RCB in the 2013 and 2016 seasons, followed by stints with Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) from 2014 to 2015 and Punjab Kings from 2018 to 2021. Since 2022, he’s been a key player for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG).
During his time with RCB, Rahul played 19 matches and 14 innings, accumulating 468 runs at an impressive average of 37.91 and a striking strike rate of 145.30. He notched up four half-centuries, with an unbeaten 68 being his highest score.
Reflecting on his IPL journey, Rahul expressed a desire to have concluded his IPL career with RCB, the team where he began. However, he acknowledged the dynamic nature of the IPL, which led him to different teams over the years.
Despite this, he embraced the opportunity to contribute to the creation of a new team and culture with LSG when he joined the franchise in 2022, highlighting his excitement for the fresh challenge.
“I would have also loved to play for Bangalore. I had started there, I would have liked to finish there and that was there in my head. But the beauty of IPL is that you get to go into different teams with different players,” said KL.
“When the two new teams came in and I had an opportunity to go there, that’s what excited me. To start a franchise from scratch. To create my own team, my own culture. It has been fun and hopefully I can finish there,” he concluded.
In 30 matches for LSG, KL has scored 1,094 runs at an average of 42.08, with two centuries and seven fifties. His best score is 103*. Currently, his team is at the fifth spot in the points table, with three wins, three losses and six points.
(With ANI inputs)
