Follow UsKL Rahul has started the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 with a bang. After missing the first game due to the birth of his first child, the batter smashed 15 off just five deliveries. Then, in the next game against Chennai Super Kings (CSK), he hit a match-winning 51-ball 77, allowing Delhi Capitals (DC) to win their first hame at Chepauk since 2010.
Rahul, who DC bought for just INR 14 crore in the auction, says he is back to enjoying his game and not thinking too much about taking it deep.
"I've worked really hard on my white-ball game the last year or so. Big shoutout to Abhishek Nayar. I've worked a lot with him ever since he's come into the Indian team," Rahul said in a chat with DC team mentor Kevin Pietersen on IPLT20.com.
"We've spent hours and hours together talking about my white-ball game and how I can be better. We worked hours and hours together in Bombay, and somewhere, I have found the fun playing white-ball cricket."
While Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) initially expressed their intentions to retain Rahul, decided against it as the wicketkeeper-batter wanted to start afresh. "I think somewhere along the way, I lost that fun of hitting boundaries and hitting sixes. I wanted to take the game deep, deep, deep, and that somehow stuck in my head," Rahul said.
"But now I have realised I need to go back… cricket's changed, and T20 cricket, especially, is only about hitting boundaries. The team that hits more boundaries and sixes ends up winning the game.
"So, back to enjoying my cricket. I am not thinking too much about the game, not thinking about taking it deep or none of that stuff. Just see [the] ball and try and be aggressive and put the pressure on the bowler and the opposition and just enjoy hitting boundaries."
DC, who are the only team in IPL 2025 to have not lost a game, will look to keep it that way when they take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on April 10 (Thursday).