Kl Rahul: Full Profile, Career Stats & Records
KL Rahul is one of Indian cricket’s most versatile batters — a stylish, technically sound top-order player who has also taken on wicketkeeping duties for India across formats. Born on April 18, 1992, in Bangalore, Karnataka, he is currently 34 years old and remains a fixture in India’s Test and ODI line-ups, prized for his ability to bat anywhere from the opening slot to the middle order and keep wicket when needed.
Kl Rahul
Age: 34 | Role: Wicketkeeper-Batter Versatile stroke-maker and dependable wicketkeeper, trusted to anchor tough run chases and rescue the middle order under pressure.
KL Rahul Profile
| Details | Info |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Kannaur Lokesh Rahul |
| Born | April 18, 1992, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India |
| Age | 34 (as of 2026) |
| Batting Style | Right-handed |
| Bowling Style | Right-arm Medium |
| Role | Wicketkeeper-Batter |
| Domestic Team | Karnataka |
| IPL Team | Delhi Capitals |
| Test Status | Active |
| ODI Status | Active |
| T20I Status | Not currently selected (last played in 2022) |
Early Life and Rise to the Top
Rahul made his first-class debut for Karnataka in 2010 and built his reputation through strong performances on India A’s tour of Australia and a productive 2014–15 domestic season, which earned him a Test call-up for India’s tour of Australia later that year. He made his Test debut in the Boxing Day Test at the MCG in December 2014, and in just his second Test, scored a composed century in Sydney — an early sign of the temperament that has defined his career. He went on to make both his ODI and T20I debuts in the same series, against Zimbabwe in Harare in 2016, quickly establishing himself as an all-format player.
Test Career
Rahul has played 68 Tests, scoring over 4,150 runs. His highest score is 199, against England at Chepauk, Chennai, in December 2016 — one run short of what would have been a maiden double century. He has a strong record away from home, with nine centuries scored outside India, one of the better overseas records among current Indian batters.
His place in the Test side has fluctuated over the years as India experimented with its top order and as younger batters like Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill cemented their spots, but Rahul has repeatedly fought his way back — including agreeing to take up wicketkeeping duties in Rishabh Pant’s absence and scoring a century from the middle order at Centurion, two years after an earlier hundred at the same ground. He played his most recent Test in November 2025 against South Africa.
ODI Career
Rahul has played 88 ODIs, averaging close to 51 runs at a strike rate of over 90 — among the best ODI averages of any current Indian batter with 80-plus caps. His highest ODI score is 112 not out, against New Zealand at Rajkot in January 2026. He remains one of only a handful of players to score a century on ODI debut.
Rahul was a key contributor to India’s runs to the 2019 ODI World Cup semi-final and the 2023 ODI World Cup final, where he played a crucial unbeaten 97 against Australia after India slipped to 3 for 2, and finished as the tournament’s highest-scoring No. 5 batter while also keeping wicket. He has also captained India in ODIs, leading the side in 15 matches between 2022 and 2025, winning 10 and losing 5. He was part of India’s title-winning squad at the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy.
T20I Career
Rahul made his T20I debut alongside his ODI debut in 2016 and played regularly through the 2022 T20 World Cup, his last appearance for India in the format to date. Despite a strong IPL season leading into it, he was overlooked for India’s 2024 T20 World Cup-winning squad, though he remains one of the few Indian batters to have scored centuries in all three international formats.
IPL Career
Rahul made his IPL debut in 2013 with Royal Challengers Bangalore, signed for ₹10 lakh, and has since played for five franchises:
- Royal Challengers Bangalore (2013, 2016)
- Sunrisers Hyderabad (2014–2015)
- Punjab Kings (2018–2021, captain)
- Lucknow Super Giants (2022–2024, captain)
- Delhi Capitals (2025–present)
He is one of the IPL’s most consistent run-scorers, with seven 500-plus run seasons and an Orange Cap in 2020 with 670 runs. He also holds one of the fastest fifties in IPL history — 14 balls, against Delhi Daredevils in 2018. In 2025, his first season with Delhi Capitals, he scored 539 runs at an average of 53.90, and was retained for IPL 2026 at ₹14 crore. That season, he struck an unbeaten 152 — the highest individual IPL score by an Indian batter. Across his IPL career, Rahul has scored five centuries, the second-most by an Indian batter after Virat Kohli.
Major Titles and Achievements
- 2023 ICC Men’s ODI World Cup (runner-up, highest-scoring No. 5)
- 2025 ICC Champions Trophy (winner)
- Highest individual IPL score by an Indian batter (152*, 2026)
- Century on ODI debut — a rare feat achieved by very few players
- IPL Orange Cap, 2020
Frequently Asked Questions
KL Rahul was born on April 18, 1992, making him 34 years old in 2026.
Both. He is primarily a top-order batter but has taken on wicketkeeping duties for India, particularly in Rishabh Pant's absence, and also keeps wicket regularly in the IPL.
Delhi Capitals, who retained him for ₹14 crore ahead of the 2026 season. He has previously played for Royal Challengers Bangalore, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Punjab Kings and Lucknow Super Giants.
His last T20I appearance came at the 2022 T20 World Cup. He was left out of India's 2024 T20 World Cup-winning squad despite strong IPL form, and has not returned to the format since, though he remains active in Tests and ODIs.
His highest Test score is 199, against England in Chennai in 2016. His highest ODI score is 112 not out, against New Zealand in January 2026.
Yes, in ODIs — he led the side in 15 matches between 2022 and 2025, recording 10 wins. He has also captained Punjab Kings and Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL.