Team India leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi showered praise on his former Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) skipper KL Rahul ahead of the upcoming Asia Cup 2025, set to begin on September 9. Bishnoi stated that the right-handed batter looks unstoppable when in rhythm, adding that he delivered under pressure.
KL Rahul impressed at the top of the order during the England series. He scored 532 runs from 10 innings at an average above 53, including two centuries and two fifties. Rahul ended the series as the third-highest run-scorer of the series, with only Shubman Gill and Joe Root scoring more than him.
He Is Going through his Best Phase – Ravi Bishnoi
Speaking on the Game Changers podcast (released on August 31), Ravi Bishnoi called KL Rahul a class player. He stated that Rahul has been in outstanding touch across formats.
Bishnoi added that Rahul’s current success is the result of his consistent hard work, and when the batter is at his best, his game is so elegant that it demands to be watched in admiration.
“KL Rahul is class apart, if he is in flow no one comes close to him. I think he is going through his best phase, from Champions Trophy to IPL to England Tests he was superb,” Bishnoi said.
“In England, he stood in difficult times, his presence gave the assurance. It is not easy to get him out once he is in which was on show in England. When he is batting at his best you just leave everything and watch his batting. His hard work his paying off,” he added.
KL Rahul Left Out Of India’s T20I Squad
KL Rahul was left out of India’s T20I squad for the 2025 Asia Cup despite strong performances in domestic and franchise cricket. He last represented India in T20Is during the 2022 World Cup, as he no longer fits the team’s aggressive, youth-focused approach.
Rahul is a key player in India’s Test and ODI setups, but selectors have preferred younger batters like Abhishek Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson, and Shubman Gill in the T20I format.
Rahul excelled in IPL 2025 with Delhi Capitals, scoring 539 runs in 15 matches at a strike rate of 149.72. He has played 72 T20I matches, amassing 2,265 runs at an average of 37.75 and a strike rate of 139.13, including two centuries and 22 fifties. He is one of the few Indians to score hundreds in all three formats.
Ravi Bishnoi Omitted from India’s Squad for Asia Cup 2025
Ravi Bishnoi made his debut in international cricket in February 2022 against the West Indies, where he took 2/17 and won the Player of the Match award. He earned the Player of the Series award against Australia in December 2023.
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) signed him for Rs. 4 crore ahead of the IPL 2022 season. Bishnoi took 16 wickets in 2023 and helped the team reach the playoffs. However, his form declined in 2024 and 2025.
This year, the 24-year-old took only 9 wickets in 11 matches at an economy of 10.83 and even struggled on spin-friendly Ekana pitches. Bishnoi last played for India against England in January, taking a three-wicket haul in the fourth match. The spinner was overlooked for the Asia Cup 2025.