KL Rahul expressed that, being a Karnataka player, it would have been perfect for him to play for RCB in the IPL. Rahul, who debuted in the IPL with RCB in 2013, has represented various franchises over the past decade. Speaking on R Ashwin’s YouTube channel, he shared his affection for the Chinnaswamy Stadium, labeling it as his home ground.
KL Rahul Expressed His Desire To Play For RCB In IPL
After beginning his T20 journey with RCB, he played for SRH in 2014 and 2015 before returning to Bengaluru. However, KL Rahul was released by the Bengaluru-based franchise ahead of the mega auctions of IPL 2018. The decision didn’t go down well with many as they believed that RCB had released one of their important players, who soon became an integral part of the Indian cricket team as well.
“You can never change the fact that I am a Karnataka player, I am from Bengaluru. KCA is my home, Chinnaswamy Stadium is my home first and then IPL is happening. Everyone wants to play for their home state or their home city and since I am from Bengaluru, playing for Bengaluru would have been ideal,” Rahul said.
However, Rahul also acknowledged the fact that in the Indian Premier League, it is not guaranteed that a player will get to represent the same franchise as his state team. To explain his point further, Rahul gave examples of Virat Kohli, who hails from Delhi but plays for Bengaluru, and MS Dhoni, who is from Ranchi but represents Chennai in the IPL.
“Like I said, when I started thinking or dreaming of IPL and T20 cricket, by then this was already a set thing that the players would move around. Like, even from the first season, Virat was from Delhi and Mahi bhai is from Jharkhand, Ranchi, he plays for CSK. So that had already happened. So growing up, we felt that it was a huge change,” KL Rahul said.
“We obviously wanted to play for the same franchise if possible. But all we wanted was an opportunity to play and showcase our talent and climb up to play for our country. Yes, moving around is not easy, but you sort of get used to it,” he further added.
Notably, KL Rahul took a sharp turn after he joined Punjab Kings. He made a statement by scoring the then-fastest fifty in IPL history, achieving the feat in just 14 balls against Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals).
In IPL 2020, Rahul won the Orange Cap for being the leading run-getter in the tournament, amassing 670 runs. He was also praised for his leadership skills as he captained the Punjab Kings from 2020 to 2021.
Moving forward, Rahul was acquired by LSG for a hefty sum of Rs 17 crore ahead of IPL 2022. While he initially envisioned beginning and ending his IPL journey in Bengaluru, he grew fond of the experience of playing with different teams and alongside diverse players, appreciating the unique dynamics of the IPL.
“Chinnaswamy is my home, Everyone want’s to Play for their home city , SO PLAYING FOR RCB WOULD HAVE BEEN IDEAL.”
That lines proves that how Kl Rahul loves RCB and even today he wants to Play for RCB.pic.twitter.com/VG9ogalJzA
— Lordgod🚩™ (@LordGod188) April 18, 2024
