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"Hopefully We Will Be Friends": Kevin Pietersen On His Bond With KL Rahul

Jatin

Kevin Pietersen & KL Rahul [Source: @DelhiCapitals/x.com]Kevin Pietersen & KL Rahul [Source: @DelhiCapitals/x.com]

There was a time when Kevin Pietersen couldn’t hold back from taking a dig at KL Rahul’s strike rate. That infamous “watching paint dry” tweet still gets a chuckle or two.

But cut to IPL 2025 and here we are with KP mentoring the Delhi Capitals and Rahul bossing it with the bat. The ‘paint’ is now scoring at a cracking pace and KP can’t stop singing his praises.

Kevin Pietersen Opens Up On His Bond With KL Rahul

Pietersen and Rahul’s equation has been the talk of the town for a while now. The old tweet, Rahul’s cheeky Maldives trip clapback and the cold vibes that followed, it had all the spice. But things have turned a corner this season. 

At a recent event, KP opened up about their “bond” and how it’s slowly but surely getting better.

“You guys have all seen on social media my relationship with KL,”  Pietersen said with a grin.

“I am still working on it. It is getting better, it is improving. We gave him a couple of days to relax, these last couple of days. But it is getting better. So hopefully by the end of the tournament, we will be friends. Hopefully,” added the Englishman.

With KL sitting right next to him and flashing that trademark smile, the vibe was all fun and games. And that is exactly what Delhi Capitals fans have been seeing on the field too.


Rahul Is In Red-Hot Form

The numbers don’t lie. KL Rahul is Delhi’s top run-getter in IPL 2025 with 371 runs in 9 matches, averaging a stellar 53. He has scored three fifties, including a knock for the ages, an unbeaten 93 off 53 balls against Royal Challengers Bengaluru that had fans and critics on their feet.

It is a far cry from the KL who was once labelled too slow for T20s. This new version is bold, calculated and doesn’t shy away from taking the attack to the bowlers.

“KL has been playing in a very positive manner since late last year. We saw how he finished off a couple of the games for India and almost sealed the deal in the Champions Trophy in Dubai.”

Kevin Pietersen’s admiration isn’t just about runs. It is about the mental shift. The switch from textbook defence to T20 dynamite, that is what has caught his eye.

“I’ve had a lot of incredibly brilliant conversations with him about batting, a lot of deep and meaningful conversations because when you grow up as a youngster like he did and you get taught defence, elbow up, play in the V and then all of a sudden in your 30s, you’ve got to change it and you’ve got to become a different kind of player for a different format which is evolving all the time," reckoned KP.

The Banter Continues

Despite the newfound mutual respect, the banter between the two hasn’t gone anywhere. Rahul still pulls KP’s leg about that tweet and KP, well, he is enjoying the ride.

That camaraderie has become a fan favourite at Delhi Capitals with both men often seen sharing laughs during practice and matches. Delhi Capitals take on the Sunrisers Hyderabad on May 5 and all eyes will once again be on Rahul.