KL Rahul has embraced a new and attacking philosophy for white-ball cricket, which has worked wonders in reviving his form while evoking some lighthearted banter on the sidelines. After his match-winning performance for the Delhi Capitals (DC) against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Rahul talked about his new strategy for T20 cricket, saying he knows he needs to change with the times of modern cricket.

The star India wicket keeper batter, who had taken paternity leave for DC's opener, made a dramatic comeback by hitting 77 runs off 51 balls, with six boundaries and three sixes. The Delhi Capitals, who acquired him for ₹14 crore, continue to have their spotless record in IPL 2025. After the game, Rahul spoke about how he had earlier been too concerned about playing safe and carrying the game deep, a ploy that used to cost him momentum. Yet now he wants to play with freedom, aggression, and purpose, concentrating on applying pressure to the opposition right from the beginning.

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In a post-match interaction organized by the IPL, Rahul had a humorous exchange with DC mentor and former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen. Rahul reminded Pietersen of an old tweet where he criticized his slow batting, comparing it to watching paint dry. Pietersen, initially taken aback, laughed it off and appreciated Rahul’s transformation. "Well, I’m glad you’ve changed your game," he said.

"It's better than watching the paint on the wall dry,"

DC star KL Rahul reminded his side's mentor Kevin Pietersen about his old tweet calling his batting slow.#KLRahul #CSKvDC #IPL2025https://t.co/jtamMUxJhm

— India Today Sports (@ITGDsports) April 6, 2025

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Back to Enjoying Cricket: KL Rahul 

Rahul's new approach is born out of an epiphany — contemporary T20 cricket rewards boundary-hitters. "Somewhere along the way, I lost the enjoyment of hitting sixes and boundaries. I kept thinking about taking the game deep. But now I know the team that hits more boundaries tends to win," he explained. Rahul's aim now is straightforward: spot the ball, hit the ball, and have fun.

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Looking back on his innings against CSK, Rahul conceded that he struggled with timing at first. "In the middle, I felt I left 15-20 runs. But once I got one from the middle of the bat, I found rhythm," he said. This mental shift seems to be working for Rahul as well as for DC, who are still in command of IPL 2025.