Veteran Indian batter KL Rahul has become a key member of the ODI and Test side. There was a time when he was also part of the T20I team and was one of the main players in the top order.

In 78 T20 games, Rahul has scored 2265 runs with two centuries and 22 fifties. He recorded a strike rate of 139. His last game in this format was against England in the semi-final of the 2022 World Cup, where he scored just five runs.

Aakash Chopra, speaking on his YouTube channel, was asked if the veteran star can make a comeback to the twenty-over side as well. To which he replied that the emergence of many young talents has all but ended Rahul’s chances of a comeback.

The 48-year-old said, “There was a time when Rahul had the chance, but he let go of that opportunity, and someone else took his spot. I won’t say that he cannot bat at a good pace. KL can score 150 off 50 balls if he wishes. I don’t think the Indian team is looking at him right now in the T20I format. In fact, he is a key member of the ODI and Test formats and is also the vice-captain in five-day cricket.”

Since his debut in 2016, the Delhi Capitals star has batted at the top order. Chopra said with so many openers in the fray, it would be impossible for the 34-year-old to make a comeback into the side.

Ex-Indian opener said, “How can Rahul get a chance in T20I cricket? He is an opener and cannot be slotted into the middle order. We still have Vaibhav waiting in the wings, whom we aren’t able to give many chances. Then you have Abhishek, Sanju and Ishan. These four players are there, and all of India is asking why Sooryavanshi is not being picked and when he will get a chance to play. How will KL play? Is it not going to happen?

KL Rahul’s IPL numbers

The veteran batter’s IPL numbers are stellar. He has played 159 games and scored 5815 runs with six centuries and has a strike rate of 139. Last season, the opener played 14 games for Delhi and notched up 593 runs with a best of 152 not out.

In fact, KL has managed to score 600 and above runs on four different occasions. The Karnataka star has scored 500 runs each season since the 2018 campaign, when he was part of the Punjab Kings side. The only time he failed to breach the 500-run mark was in 2023, because an injury derailed his campaign with Lucknow Super Giants. He amassed 274 runs from nine games.