KL Downplays Pietersen's Jibe At His Batting, Says He Means No Harm

It was in the initial phases of the tournament when the IPL website posted a video where KL Rahul and Kevin Pietersen were having a banter around something the former English batter had said on watching the former bat. To quote verbatim, Pietersen had earlier said that “watching KL is like sitting and watching the paint dry on the wall.”

Pietersen seemed a bit surprised in the video that Rahul brought it up, but applauded the Indian batter instantly for having changed his game. Notably, Rahul scored 539 runs this IPL season at a strike rate touching 150, which were also the most runs scored by a batter for Delhi Capitals this season. 

When Nasser Hussain brought this banter up with Rahul in an interview for Sky Sports, the classy Indian batter said that it was all in fun, and Pietersen meant no harm.

“I think it's good to have a little bit of banter, and yeah, I mean, these were times when I still used to read and see stuff that was said about me," Rahul said. 

"There is obviously a drive if someone's saying that I can't do something or someone's saying that is the most boring player to watch in T20 cricket or in the powerplay. I mean there's a bit more in me when I go into the next game.

"I've spent a couple of weeks with KP [Kevin Pietersen] here at the IPL and you realise that they don't mean any harm to you, just what he's seen on TV and it's what he felt and he said that on TV. So there's nothing more. 

“So it's been easy for me since I started seeing it that way: if someone is a commentator or a fellow cricketer has said that, obviously it's what he's seen and what he feels so that you don't take it personally I think that's a bit easier.”

DC are already eliminated from IPL 2025 after failing to qualify for the playoffs.