KL Rahul Career Stats
| Format | Matches | Runs | Average | 100s / 50s | Highest Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Test | 70 | 4,288 | 36.65 | 12 / 21 | 199 |
| ODI | 101 | 3,541 | 51.31 | 9 / 20 | 129* |
| T20I | 72 | 2,265 | 37.75 | 2 / 22 | 110* |
Breakthrough: From Ranji Runs to the Boxing Day Test
The groundwork was laid in domestic cricket. In 2013-14 Rahul scored more than 1,000 Ranji Trophy runs as Karnataka won the title, a season that put him firmly on the selectors’ radar, and Karnataka retained the trophy the following year. His Test debut came at the MCG on Boxing Day 2014, where he struggled against a hostile Australian attack and was briefly written off. He responded in his very next Test with 110 at Sydney, a patient innings that showed the temperament to go with his technique. That ability to recover from a poor start became a theme of his career, and by the end of 2016 he had become the fastest batter to centuries in all three international formats.
KL Rahul International Career Journey
| Format | Debut | Last Match / Status |
|---|---|---|
| Test | 26 December 2014 v Australia, Melbourne | Active (latest: August 2026 v Sri Lanka) |
| ODI | 11 June 2016 v Zimbabwe, Harare | Active (latest: 3 October 2026 v West Indies) |
| T20I | 18 June 2016 v Zimbabwe, Harare | Last played 10 November 2022 v England |
Rahul scored his first Test hundred in his second Test, at Sydney in January 2015, and made an unbeaten 100 on ODI debut in 2016. Later that year he hit 110 not out against West Indies at Lauderhill, completing centuries in all three formats.
He has captained India in Tests, ODIs and T20Is as a stand-in leader, including the ODI series wins in South Africa in 2023 and at home against South Africa in November 2025. On the 2025 tour of England he scored 532 runs at 58.00 with two hundreds. He made Test centuries against West Indies in October 2025 and Afghanistan in June 2026, the series in which he took over as Test vice-captain. On 3 October 2026 he scored an unbeaten 129 against West Indies at New Chandigarh and passed 10,000 international runs.
KL Rahul ICC Tournament Record
| Tournament | Result | Rahul’s Contribution |
|---|---|---|
| ODI World Cup 2019 | Semi-finalist | Scored a century against Sri Lanka |
| T20 World Cup 2022 | Semi-finalist | Opened the batting |
| ODI World Cup 2023 | Runner-up | Kept wicket; 62-ball century against the Netherlands, the fastest by an Indian at a World Cup |
| Champions Trophy 2025 | Winner | Kept wicket and finished unbeaten in the final |
KL Rahul IPL Record
Rahul has played for Royal Challengers Bangalore, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Punjab Kings, Lucknow Super Giants and, since 2025, Delhi Capitals. He captained Punjab Kings in 2020 and 2021 and Lucknow Super Giants from 2022 to 2024.
| Season | Highlight |
|---|---|
| 2018 | 14-ball fifty for Kings XI Punjab, then the fastest in IPL history |
| 2020 | Orange Cap with 670 runs; 132 not out against RCB |
| 2022 | Led Lucknow Super Giants to the playoffs in their first season |
| 2025 | Signed by Delhi Capitals for Rs 14 crore |
| 2026 | 152 not out off 67 balls against Punjab Kings on 25 April, the highest IPL score by an Indian |
KL Rahul Records and Milestones
- Only Indian to score a century on ODI debut (100 not out v Zimbabwe, 2016)
- Fastest to centuries in all three international formats, in his 20th international innings
- First batter to score a T20I century batting at number four
- Highest individual IPL score by an Indian: 152 not out (2026)
- Passed 10,000 international runs on 3 October 2026
- Karnataka’s first first-class triple century: 337 v Uttar Pradesh (2014-15)
KL Rahul Awards and Honours
| Year | Award |
|---|---|
| 2016 | Player of the Series, ODI series v Zimbabwe |
| 2020 | IPL Orange Cap |
| 2021 | Player of the Match, Lord’s Test v England |
| 2021 | Player of the Match, Centurion Test v South Africa |
| 2025 | ICC Champions Trophy winner’s medal |
Batting Technique and Method
Rahul’s technique is among the most orthodox in Indian cricket. He stands tall with a still head and plays the ball late, which is why he has been so effective against seam and swing in England and South Africa. His judgement of what to leave outside off stump is excellent, and a strong back-foot game, especially the punch through cover and the pull, gives him scoring options against short bowling. The criticism has rarely been about method but about tempo: he can become becalmed in T20 cricket and has sometimes fallen in Tests after doing the hard work. As an ODI wicketkeeper-batter at number five, his calm in the middle overs gives India balance.
