“I am not that important.” To hear such a statement from an A-list Indian cricketer is rare, but for KL Rahul, it’s a mindset that has kept him grounded. Rahul, who has been in clinical form recently while balancing high-profile brand deals, casually discussed his retirement thoughts in a recent interview, surprising fans and pundits alike.
The 33-year-old Bengaluru batter revealed that he doesn’t view himself as indispensable to the sport, making the eventual decision to step away a simpler one.
“Just quit. Just enjoy the stuff that you have got, and you have your family and just do that. That is the hardest battle. So I try and tell myself that I’m not that important,” Rahul told Kevin Pietersen on his YouTube channel.
“The game will carry on”
Rahul, who has amassed 4,053 Test runs and over 3,300 ODI runs, spoke the “gospel truth” about the nature of professional sports. He emphasized that the game of cricket in India and globally, is far bigger than any single individual.
“Cricket in our country will carry on. Cricket in the world will carry on. There are more important things in life, and I think this mindset I’ve always had, but ever since I’ve had my first baby, it’s just like, the way you look at life is completely different,” Rahul explained.
When pressed on whether retirement is imminent, Rahul clarified that while he has thought about it, he isn’t quite finished yet. “I don’t think it’s gonna be that difficult. If you’re honest with yourself, when it’s time, it’s time. And there’s no point dragging it. Obviously, I’m some time away.”
The mental toll of injuries
For a player who has consistently featured in the IPL top-10 run-scorers list (with 5,222 runs to his name), the physical cost has been high. Rahul admitted that the recurring cycle of injuries has been his most grueling opponent not because of the physical pain, but the mental exhaustion of rehabilitation.
“I have been injured so many times and that’s the hardest battle. It’s not the pain that the physio or the surgeon puts you through. It’s the mental battle where your mind gives up. When it happens so many times, your mind is just like, ‘you’ve done enough.’”
Fans won’t have to wait long to see him back in action. Rahul will represent Karnataka in a crucial Ranji Trophy 2025-26 fixture against Punjab, starting Thursday, January 29, at the PCA Stadium in Mohali.