'I want to get back in T20 team and World Cup is in my mind': KL Rahul's big statement after finishing as Delhi Capitals' leading run-scorer in IPL 2025

The T20 World Cup 2022 semifinal against England led to many changes. For several matches, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma did not play T20Is. Later, it was revealed that it was due to workload. But, two players who haven't played a single T20I since the 10-wicket defeat to England are pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar and opener KL Rahul.

That was the time Rohit Sharma decided to change his approach and the foundation of T20 World Cup 2024 triumph was laid. While Bhuvneshwar may have played his last T20I seeing the current crop of fast bowlers, Rahul believes he has a chance to make it to the side before next edition of T20 World Cup which will be hosted in India and Sri Lanka.

"Yes, I want to get back in the T20 team and the World Cup is in my mind, but for now it's just trying to enjoy how I'm playing right now," Rahul said in an interview with Nasser Hussain on Sky Sports.

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Rahul has changed his approach as well. The team man was a vital cog in the wheel in India's ICC Champions Trophy 2025 title win. After leaving the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), Rahul looked a different player at Delhi Capitals (DC). He finished as their highest run-getter -- 539 runs from 13 innings at an average of 53.90, featuring one century and three half-centuries with a strike rate of 149.72 -- in the season.

"I obviously had some time to think about my white-ball game and white-ball cricket; I was quite happy with my performances and where I was. But [there] was a time probably 15 months ago or 12 months ago where I realised that the game is slightly getting ahead or it's changing and becoming much more faster, and I said this in an interview as well, that it's become more about the team that hits more boundaries is winning the games more often than the team that's, I can't say playing smarter, but the team that doesn't hit as many boundaries is always finding themselves on the losing side," Rahul said.

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Rahul has tough competition

The current T20I team includes the likes of Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson. Sai Sudharsan has made his T20I debut but yet to bat whereas Yashasvi Jaiswal is waiting for a longer run. The fight for the no.3 and no.4 spot is fierce as well. It will be interesting to see how and if Rahul finds his way back into the T20I squad. But, currently his next assignment is the five-Test series on England soil which will mark a transition phase with senior trio Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Ravichandran Ashwin retired.