Not Virat Kohli Or MS Dhoni! KL Rahul Picks RCB Legend As His 'Inspiration In Cricket' – WATCH

Star Indian batter KL Rahul, who will miss the fifth and final Test of the ongoing five-match series between India and England in Dharamsala next week due to injury-related issues, has ignored batting superstar Virat Kohli and legendary captain MS Dhoni to pick a RCB legend as his inspiration in cricket. During an interview with Star Sports, the video of which is now going viral on the internet, the 31-year-old Indian cricketer was asked about his inspiration, and in reply, he mentioned Ab de Villiers’ name.

Rahul shared the dressing room with the former South African skipper during his playing days in the IPL with RCB. The Bengaluru-born cricketer was part of the RCB set-up in IPL 2013 and IPL 2016.

“On the cricket field, I have been very inspired by Ab de Villiers,” Rahul told Star Sports.

Ab de Villiers joined RCB in the IPL 2011 mega auction and played for them for 11 seasons before announcing his retirement in 2021. In 156 matches for the Virat Kohli-starrer side, the right-handed batter scored 4491 runs at an average of 41.2 and a strike rate of 158.63. But despite playing in 14 seasons of the IPL, he was unable to win the IPL title in his career.

Rahul to lead LSG in the IPL 2024

Rahul, who has been out of action for more than a month now, will next be seen in action during the IPL 2024. He has been associated with the Lucknow Super Giants in the cash-rich league and will lead them in the upcoming season.

Since making his debut in the IPL, Rahul has played in a total of 118 matches for teams like RCB, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Punjab Kings, and LSG and has scored 4163 runs at an average of 46.77. He has hammered four centuries and 33 fifties in the IPL.