Does Kl Rahul deserve a place in the Indian team for the T20 World Cup 2026, as Kevin Pietersen claims?

Kl Rahul changed his stroke position and approach in the IPL 2025 season. But did the T20 World Cup do enough to return to India’s team for 2026?
We witness Kl Rahul’s Renaissance. The 33 -year -old reached another level in the last six months. He was the first test jack. As Rahul shows his compactness in Australia. Then it was ODI. The champions won many times for the Indian Cricket team in Trophy 2025.
Team Yelling for the Selection of India
Finally, the Rahul seems to have conquered the T20 jack. Wicketkeeper-Batter, who joined a new franchise, Delhi Capitals (DC), found a new level. He’s fighting in the middle order. And IPL 2016 seems to see the destructive inclination we see from the 2018 seasons.
His performance allowed DC mentor Kevin Pietersen to tell him that the Indian Team should play him in the T20s in number four. “In the T20 jack, I would hit a quarter of KL for India. You (India) ‘s many opening doughs – on top of the surah bats – but in the way Kl Rahul played right now, I would be my first choice for bats and holding a small door for India,” Said Pieter if you said.
“Adapting is very, very difficult. He speaks a lot about the need for change and the way he accepts the need for change. He is incredibly positive – how he speaks about his education, mentality and even the game. Added.
If you do not say this clearly, Pieterse did not say this, but what he said is that Rahul should be in the plan of things for the T20 World Cup 2026. But does Rahul deserve a place? Did he do enough? How good are the other wicketkeeper doughs?
Change in the approach
Initially, Rahul has not played a T20 since November 2022. This is a long time. It’s been 2 and a half years. Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja have already retired. The game changed during this period. And he forced Rahul to rethink his approach.
Stroke position and strike ratio
Rahul was Adapted. This is no longer open starting from the IPL 2025 season. It’s not an anchor anymore. The average is very high, 60.66. However, the strike rate is also quite high, 146.18. In the last 6 seasons, once the strike rate is over 140. But it’s not just about scoring goals quickly.
Rahul plays according to situations. It is extremely well chasing, so the strike rate was slightly lower in some matches. He knows that the work rate is important in IPL and T20, but not only blindly hit the blind. 33 years old, Rahul knows the entrances and exits of the game. And that’s why he plays situations.
Wicketkeeper rivals
In the absence of Kl Rahul, he played three baptisms for the Indian team in the T20Is. Sanju Samson was regular. But it opens. The Rishabh Pant T20 World Cup was taken to 2024, but Samson changed him to the main bad worker. Jitesh Sharma played a few matches, but he hasn’t played since January 2024. The fourth player will be Dhruv Jurel. T20IS is not yet playing for India.
Only pants bats are mentioned above. Others or openers for enders. Based on the IPL 2025 season, Rahul has a good shout to be one of the best Wicketkeeper for the Indian team.
IPL 2025 Statistics for Wicketkeers in T20 World Cup 2026 discussion
Inning | Running | Average | Strike ratio | 50s | Highest score | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Kl Rahul | 8 | 364 | 60.66 | 146.18 | 3 | 93* |
Sanju Samson | 7 | 224 | 37.33 | 143.58 | 1 | 66 |
Rishabh pants | 9 | 110 | 12.22 | 98.21 | 1 | 63 |
DHRUV JUREL | 9 | 238 | 39.66 | 150.63 | 1 | 70 |
Jitesh Sharma | 7 | 121 | 30.25 | 147.56 | 0 | 40* |
Middle Ages Competitors
The T20Is have few doughs for the Indian team that can be located in 4-5 positions. A few names, Rajat Patidar, Shivam Pant, Tilak Arrival, Shreyas Iyer and Riyan Parag. They all played for Blue in Blue, blocked Patidar. The smallest recitation has the best chance to make the staff for the T20 World Cup 2026.
Gautam Gambhir and Syriacumar is a basis under the yadav. And rightly. There are already 2 hundred. And others like the Pub and Parag, because of their part -time bowling. But again, in the current form, both of them do not sue a strong case.
Patidar and Shreyas are doing very strong cases. Both are extraordinary spin players. And seize the pottery. These two would be the main competitors for Rahul, Rahul. And some such as Rinku Singh and Nitish Kumar Redi may also occur. However, there are a few more matches to do Rahul’s case and prove Pietersen correctly.
IPL 2025 Statistics for the Middle RDER in T20 World Cup 2026 conflict
Inning | Running | Average | Strike ratio | 50s | Highest score | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Kl Rahul | 8 | 364 | 60.66 | 146.18 | 3 | 93* |
Rajat Patidar | 9 | 228 | 25.33 | 147.09 | 2 | 64 |
Shivam Pub | 9 | 242 | 34.57 | 133.70 | 1 | 50 |
Reconstruction | 8 | 239 | 39.83 | 140.58 | 2 | 59 |
Shreyas Iyer | 9 | 288 | 48 | 182.27 | 3 | 97* |
Riyan Parag | 10 | 266 | 33.25 | 158.33 | 0 | 43* |
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