'He meant no harm' - KL Rahul downplays Kevin Pietersen's jibe at his strike rate

Published - 25 May 2025, 15:56 IST | Updated - 25 May 2025, 16:16 IST

Delhi Capitals (DC) batter KL Rahul admitted that Kevin Pietersen meant no harm with his earlier criticism around his batting style and strike rate. Notably, Pietersen had taken a jibe at Rahul, stating that "watching KL is like sitting and watching paint dry on a wall".

As fate would have it, Pietersen was appointed as the mentor of the Delhi Capitals franchise in the 18th edition of the tournament where he linked up with Rahul. Much has changed about the right-hander's batting style since the time Pitersen made the remark as he has scored 539 runs this year at a strike rate of around 150.

However, Rahul chose not to take the remark personally and also stated that Pietersen expressed what he felt and did not intend any harm. The 33-year-old did admit that the remark motivated him to up his game.

“I think it's good to have a little bit of banter, and yeah, I mean, these were times when I still used to read and see stuff that was said about me," Rahul told Nasser Hussain on Sky Sports.

"There is obviously a drive if someone's saying that I can't do something or someone's saying that is the most boring player to watch in T20 cricket or in the powerplay. I mean there's a bit more in me when I go into the next game.

"I've spent a couple of weeks with KP [Kevin Pietersen] here at the IPL and you realise that they don't mean any harm to you, just what he's seen on TV and it's what he felt and he said that on TV. So there's nothing more,” he said.

The right-handed batter added that when a commentator shares their opinion on television, it was their perspective and should not be taken personally.

“So it's been easy for me since I started seeing it that way: if someone is a commentator or a fellow cricketer has said that, obviously it's what he's seen and what he feels so that you don't take it personally I think that's a bit easier,” he concluded.