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"He Will Come Back": Suresh Raina Makes Big Claim For KL Rahul's T20I Future

Soumyajit Dutta

Suresh Raina and KL Rahul [Source: @jenny_saga/X.com]Suresh Raina and KL Rahul [Source: @jenny_saga/X.com]

Former India cricketer and IPL legend Suresh Raina has backed KL Rahul to make a strong comeback to India’s T20I squad despite his omission from the 2025 Asia Cup team. Speaking on Shubhankar Mishra’s YouTube podcast, Raina praised Rahul’s class and temperament.

As KL Rahul is set to undergo Yo-Yo test on August 30-31, the premier batter would like to stay clean with the reports if he wants to stay in India's fray for upcoming major tournaments. However, fitness is not KL Rahul's concern anyway, as he spoke with the bat as per Raina.

Raina Backs Rahul's Class

Speaking at the podcast, Raina shared that KL Rahul has proved himself with the bat and has worked hard to make a place for himself in T20 cricket.

“He scored the runs. See, KL Rahul has a temperament. People think T20 is a very fast game where you only need to hit shots, but the class, temperament, and game awareness he possesses don’t come overnight. He has worked a lot, so I think he will come back,” Raina said in the podcast.

Notably, KL Rahul has delivered impactful performances for India in the Asia Cup across editions. In 2018, he scored a fluent 60 runs off 66 balls, showcasing his ability to anchor the innings. His best came in the 2023 Asia Cup, where he smashed a brilliant 111-run knock, finishing the tournament with 169 runs in 3 innings at an impressive average of 84.50. 

KL Rahul’s Recent T20 Success

Rahul was among the top performers in the IPL 2025, scoring 539 runs in 13 innings at a strike rate of 149.72, including one century and three half-centuries. During the season, the Delhi Capitals player also crossed the milestone of 5,000 IPL runs, with his career tally now at 5,222 runs in 145 matches.

In international cricket, Rahul has featured in 72 T20Is, scoring 2,265 runs at a strike rate of 139.12, with two centuries and 22 fifties. His last T20I appearance came in the 2022 T20 World Cup semi-final against England.