Personal details
| Full Name | Kannur Lokesh Rahul |
| Date of birth | April 18, 1992 |
| Age | 31 years |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) |
| Current team | Lucknow Super Kings (LSG) |
| Position | Top order |
| Batting style | Right hand Bat |
| Bowling style | – |
| Jersey number | 1 |
| Started playing | December 26 – 30, 2014 |
| Family members | Father – Dr. KN LokeshMother – RajeshwariSister – BhavnaWife – Athiya Shetty |
KL Rahul Recent Matches
| MATCH | Bat | Wkt | Date | Ground | Format |
| LSG vs RR | 58 | 2c/0s | 24-Mar-2024 | Jaipur | T20 |
| India vs England | 86 & 22 | — | 25-Jan-2024 | Hyderabad | Test |
| India vs South Africa | 8 | 2c/0s & 3c/0s | 03-Jan-2024 | Cape Town | Test |
| India vs South Africa | 101 & 4 | 3c/0s | 26-Dec-2023 | Centurion | Test |
| India vs South Africa | 21 | 4c/0s | 21-Dec-2023 | Paarl | ODI |
Batting Stats
| FORMAT | Mat | Runs | HS | Ave | SR | 100s | 50s |
| Tests | 50 | 2863 | 199 | 34.08 | 52.23 | 8 | 14 |
| ODIs | 75 | 2820 | 112 | 50.35 | 87.82 | 7 | 18 |
| T20Is | 72 | 2265 | 110* | 37.75 | 139.12 | 2 | 22 |
Bowling stats
| FORMAT | Mat | Runs | Wkts | BBM | Ave | Econ | 5w |
| Tests | 50 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| ODIs | 75 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| T20Is | 72 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
Teams
India
Karnataka
Lucknow Super Giants
Bangalore Brigadiers (Urban)
India Under-19s
India Under-23s
Karnataka State Cricket Association Colts XI
Kings XI Punjab
Royal Challengers Bangalore
South Zone
Sunrisers Hyderabad
About KL Rahul
KL Rahul, whose full name is Kannur Lokesh Rahul, is an accomplished Indian cricketer known for his elegant batting style and versatility across formats. Born on April 18, 1992, in Mangalore, Karnataka, Rahul made his international debut for India in Test cricket against Australia in December 2014.
Rahul rose to prominence with his consistent performances in domestic cricket, particularly in the Indian Premier League (IPL), where he caught the eye of selectors with his batting prowess for franchises like Royal Challengers Bangalore and Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings). In IPL 2020, he was appointed as the captain of Kings XI Punjab, showcasing his leadership qualities alongside his batting skills.
In international cricket, Rahul has showcased his talent across all formats. He has the distinction of scoring centuries in Test cricket, One Day Internationals (ODIs), and Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is), showcasing his adaptability and skill set. Known for his solid technique, Rahul is particularly adept at playing both pace and spin bowling with finesse.
Apart from his batting, Rahul has also donned the wicketkeeper’s gloves for India in limited-overs cricket, showcasing his versatility and utility to the team. His ability to keep wicket while also contributing significantly with the bat has added depth to the Indian team’s batting lineup.
Despite facing occasional dips in form, Rahul remains a key figure in Indian cricket, admired for his elegant strokeplay, calm demeanor, and cricketing intelligence. As he continues to evolve as a cricketer, fans and pundits alike eagerly anticipate his contributions to Indian cricket across all formats.
KL Rahul Career Highlights
– Holds the record for the most fifties in consecutive innings, achieving this feat on seven occasions.
– Secured the second-highest number of catches in a single match, with a tally of seven catches.
– Ranked seventh in the list of highest number of catches in a series, with a total of 14 catches.
In ODIs:
– Marked his debut with a century, scoring an unbeaten 100*.
– Recorded the 15th-most runs in a debut inning, notching up 100* runs.
In T20Is:
– Stands third in the list of highest runs scored in an innings by batting position, scoring 110*.
– Registered the ninth-most runs in a match in a losing cause, totaling 110* runs.
– Holds the 10th-highest batting average in T20Is, averaging 39.57.
– Ranked fifth in the list of players with the most fifties in T20Is, accumulating 22 fifties.
– Secured the seventh-most fifties in consecutive innings in T20Is, achieving this feat three times.
– Ranked fifth on the list of fastest players to reach 1000 runs in T20Is, achieving this milestone in 29 innings.
– Ranked fourth on the list of fastest players to reach 2000 runs in T20Is, achieving this milestone in 58 innings.
KL Rahul Awards
-KL Rahul was awarded the Cricketer of the Year award, 2018
Career
Domestic career
KL Rahul’s domestic cricket career has been marked by consistent excellence and impactful performances across various formats and tournaments in Indian cricket. Since making his debut in first-class cricket for Karnataka during the 2010-2011 season, Rahul swiftly cemented his place as a pivotal batsman for the team, demonstrating his prowess with the bat in tournaments such as the Ranji Trophy and Duleep Trophy. Similarly, in List A cricket, Rahul has been a linchpin for Karnataka in competitions like the Vijay Hazare Trophy, often delivering crucial innings as a dependable top-order batsman. His contributions extend to the shortest format of the game as well, where he has been a regular member of Karnataka’s squad for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, showcasing his ability to score quickly and effectively in T20 cricket.
Moreover, Rahul’s impact transcends domestic boundaries, as seen in his performances in the Indian Premier League (IPL), where he has represented teams like Royal Challengers Bangalore and Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings). In IPL 2020, he assumed the captaincy of Kings XI Punjab, further highlighting his leadership qualities alongside his batting prowess. Throughout his domestic career, KL Rahul has earned acclaim for his elegant strokeplay, solid technique, and consistent run-scoring, setting the stage for his successful international career representing India across all formats.
IPL Career
KL Rahul has had a distinguished IPL career, spanning multiple seasons and showcasing his batting prowess on the grand stage of T20 cricket. Across his career, which comprises 119 matches, Rahul has amassed a total of 4221 runs, with an impressive highest score of 132*. His batting average stands at an impressive 46.9, indicating his consistency and ability to convert starts into substantial innings. Rahul’s strike rate of 134.38 underscores his ability to score quickly and adapt to the demands of the game. He has notched up four centuries and 34 half-centuries, highlighting his ability to play match-winning innings for his teams. Throughout his IPL journey, KL Rahul has established himself as one of the premier batsmen in the tournament, earning admiration for his elegant strokeplay, solid technique, and ability to thrive under pressure.
| YEAR | MAT | RUNS | HS | AVG | SR | 100 | 50 |
| Career | 119 | 4221 | 132* | 46.9 | 134.38 | 4 | 34 |
| 2024 | 1 | 58 | 58 | 58 | 131.82 | 0 | 1 |
| 2023 | 9 | 274 | 74 | 34.25 | 113.22 | 0 | 2 |
| 2022 | 15 | 616 | 103* | 51.33 | 135.38 | 2 | 4 |
| 2021 | 13 | 626 | 98* | 62.6 | 138.8 | 0 | 6 |
| 2020 | 14 | 670 | 132* | 55.83 | 129.34 | 1 | 5 |
| 2019 | 14 | 593 | 100* | 53.9 | 135.38 | 1 | 6 |
| 2018 | 14 | 659 | 95* | 54.91 | 158.41 | 0 | 6 |
| 2016 | 14 | 397 | 68* | 44.11 | 146.49 | 0 | 4 |
| 2015 | 9 | 142 | 44* | 28.4 | 112.69 | 0 | 0 |
| 2014 | 11 | 166 | 46 | 20.75 | 101.21 | 0 | 0 |
| 2013 | 5 | 20 | 12 | 10 | 125 | 0 | 0 |
International career
Test Career
Rahul debuted in Test cricket in the 2014 Boxing Day Test, scoring 3 and 1. In the next test at Sydney, he notched his maiden international century with 110 runs. Despite a bout of Dengue fever, he returned for India’s tour of Sri Lanka, scoring his second Test century. In 2016, Rahul impressed with 158 runs against the West Indies. He faced setbacks due to injury but showcased resilience, scoring a career-best 199 against England in the fifth Test of the 2016-17 series.
ODI Career
Rahul made his ODI debut against Zimbabwe in 2016, scoring an unbeaten 100*(115) and becoming the first Indian to score a century on ODI debut. He also made his T20I debut on the same tour but was dismissed for a golden duck. During India’s tour of West Indies the same year, he smashed a century off 46 balls, becoming the first to score a T20I century while batting at number four. He later scored his second T20I ton against England in 2018. Rahul faced a suspension alongside Hardik Pandya following controversial comments on a talk show in January 2019 but returned to international cricket after the ban. He was part of India’s squad for the 2019 Cricket World Cup, finishing as India’s third-highest run-scorer in the tournament.
T20 International Career
In December 2019, Rahul reached the milestone of 1,000 runs in T20I cricket during the first match against the West Indies, scoring 62 (40). He followed up with a stellar performance in the third T20I, smashing 91 (56) and earning the Man of the Match award. In the subsequent ODI series against the West Indies, Rahul notched his third ODI century in the second match. During the T20I series against Sri Lanka in January 2020, he contributed consistently with scores of 45 and 54 in the two matches. Rahul’s standout performance continued in India’s tour of New Zealand, where he was declared the Man of the Series in the T20Is for scoring 224 runs. He also excelled in the ODI series, scoring 88* (64) in the first match and registering his fourth ODI century with 112 (113) in the third ODI. In October 2020, Rahul was appointed as India’s vice-captain for the ODI and T20I series against Australia, where he made notable contributions with scores of 77 and 51 in the respective formats.
Family
KL Rahul is the son of Dr. KN Lokesh and Rajeshwari. He has a sister named Bhavna. In 2021, Rahul tied the knot with Athiya Shetty, marking a significant milestone in his personal life.
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