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Team India star KL Rahul recently shared a hilarious behind-the-scenes story from his playful banter with England legend Kevin Pietersen during the 2025 Indian Premier League season, revealing how he even complained to Pietersen’s wife, Jessica Pietersen, about the Englishman being “too rude” to him.
Rahul and Pietersen were part of the Delhi Capitals setup this year, with the Indian batter joining the franchise from Lucknow Super Giants and Pietersen taking over as mentor. Their on-field and off-field exchanges quickly became fan favourites, with both cricketers known for their sharp wit and light-hearted digs at each other.
Speaking on the 2 Sloggers YouTube podcast, Rahul recalled how his wife, actor Athiya Shetty, had even pulled him up after watching some of his banter clips with Pietersen that were posted on Delhi Capitals’ social media pages.
“Our banter is different. He is a great sport. He gives it to you also,” Rahul said with a laugh. “There was this video, and there were two-three times where I said something and DC posted it on Instagram. So, my wife was telling me, ‘Why are you being so mean? He is such a sweet guy.’”
The Indian wicketkeeper-batter added that what the fans saw online was only a small part of the constant back-and-forth he shared with the former England captain.
“I said, ‘Half the things that he does to me and tells me, that doesn’t come out.’ This is three times that I have given out of the 100 times he is after my life,” Rahul revealed.
Rahul further recounted how he brought up the light-hearted complaint during a dinner with Pietersen and his wife, Jessica, while touring England earlier this year.
“I complained to his wife when we were in the UK. They invited me for dinner and I told her, ‘Tell your husband to go easy on me. He is very rude to me,’” he said, laughing.
The camaraderie between the two cricketers was a highlight of Delhi Capitals’ 2025 IPL campaign, with fans often spotting their exchanges on social media. Pietersen, who had previously criticised Rahul’s conservative approach in T20S, later praised the Indian batter for his aggressive and match-winning performances during the season.
Rahul carried that form into India’s tour of England, where he amassed 532 runs across 10 innings, including two centuries and two half-centuries, underlining a remarkable turnaround in his approach and confidence.
