Former England batting legend Kevin Pietersen has backed KL Rahul to make his comeback to India’s T20I setup. Pietersen believes that Rahul, who has undergone a massive transformation over the past two years, should be considered for India’s T20I side. Notably, Rahul has been in spectacular form in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL), producing staggering innings one after another and working diligently on his form.

He last featured for India in T20Is at the 2022 T20I World Cup, scoring 128 runs in six innings. Since then, he has been on the sidelines, playing only Test and ODIs. Meanwhile, since joining Delhi Capitals ahead of IPL 2025, KL Rahul has been the backbone of DC’s batting lineup, churning out match-winning performances. 

Currently, he is Delhi Capitals’ leading scorer, carrying 364 runs in eight games at a strike rate of 146.18 and an average of 60.66. He has also smashed three half-centuries. While India have so many options at the top of the order, Pietersen, who is serving as DC’s mentor at IPL 2025, feels that Rahul is best suited to play in the middle order. 

"I think you guys (India) have got plenty of opening batters, you've got Surya (Suryakumar Yadav) who bats at the top, you've got all of these guys but the way that KL Rahul is playing cricket now, he would be my first choice to bat at four and keep wicket for India,” Pietersen said during the press conference. 

"KL has been playing in a very positive manner since late last year, mid to late last year. We saw how he finished off a couple of the games for India and almost sealed the deal in the Champions Trophy in Dubai," Pietersen noted.

“But, i’ve had a lot of incredibly brilliant conversations with him about batting, a lot of deep and meaningful conversations because when you grow up as a youngster like he did and you get taught defence – elbow up, play in the V and then all of a sudden in your 30s, you've got to change it and you've got to become a different kind of player for a different format which is evolving all the time.

"It's very, very difficult. So the way that he has accepted that he's needed to change, the way that he has changed is of great, great credit to the person that he is. He is so positive, the way that he practices, the way that he trains, the way he thinks about the game and also the way that he talks about the game. That's KL."

Currently, Delhi Capitals, who are placed fourth in the points table, have won six of their nine games.