“Always dreamt of playing for RCB when IPL started” - KL Rahul opens up on getting an opportunity to represent Bangalore franchise

Senior Team India batter and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) captain KL Rahul has revealed that he always wanted to play for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) when the Indian Premier League (IPL) started. The keeper-batter explained that being from Bangalore himself, RCB as a franchise is very close to his heart.

31-year-old Rahul has represented multiple teams in the IPL over the years. He was part of the RCB franchise in 2013 and 2016. The right-handed batter subsequently played for Punjab Kings (PBKS) from 2018 to 2021. He has led LSG in the last two IPL seasons.

In a recent interview, Rahul opened up on his special bond with Royal Challengers Bangalore.

"RCB gave me the opportunity to showcase my talent when I was young. I am also from Bangalore, so I always dreamt of playing for RCB when the IPL started. I was lucky that I got to play for them for a few years, so RCB is very close to my heart," Times Now quoted the cricketer as telling SG Cricket.

Rahul played 19 matches for RCB, scoring 417 runs at an average of 37.90 and a strike rate of 145.29 with four half-centuries. In the 2016 IPL season, he smashed 397 runs in 14 games at an average of 44.11 and a strike rate of 146.49 with a best of 68*.

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“Hope this is not a one-off situation” - Gautam Gambhir on Rahul keeping wickets in South Africa Tests

While Rahul has been donning the keeping gloves in limited-overs lately, he will also be the keeper-batter in the Tests against South Africa. Former India batter Gautam Gambhir hopes that he decision is not a one-off and expects Rahul to keep wickets in the home series against England as well.

“I hope this is not a one-off situation because that would be unfair. His real challenge will not be wicketkeeping in South Africa, but on rank turners, in that five Test match series against England when Ashwin, Jadeja and Axar will be bowling. No challenge is bigger than that. If you are looking at these two Test matches, then I would rather not play him because I would look at long-term plans, Gambhir told Star Sports.

"India don't have a long-term plan right now because you only have KS Bharat and Rahul now. But probably it is the right way of going about things in allowing KL Rahul do the job until Rishabh Pant returns,” he added.

The India vs South Africa Test series will begin with the Boxing Day clash at SuperSport Park in Centurion.