KL Rahul, a key player in Indian cricket, has frequently found himself at the receiving end of criticism regarding his performance and scoring rates. In a heartfelt discussion, the talented wicketkeeper-batter addressed the online trolling and negativity he has encountered on social media. While Rahul initially managed to cope with such backlash, he admitted that the ongoing harassment he faced over the years, even during periods of inactivity, began to take a toll on him. "I used to handle trolling quite well and didn't pay much attention to it at first, but I was younger then. A couple of years ago, I was subjected to significant trolling. It felt like no matter what I did, I was trolled," he revealed during an interview with entrepreneur Nikhil Kamath on YouTube.
In his most recent international appearance during the ODI series against Sri Lanka, Rahul scored only 31 runs in two innings. Although he had a commendable performance in the previous ICC Cricket World Cup, where he accumulated 452 runs in 10 innings with an impressive average of 75.33, his innings of 66 runs off 107 balls in the final against Australia faced criticism as India succumbed to a six-wicket defeat while defending a total of 241 runs.
During the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL), Rahul was again scrutinised for his strike rate, despite finishing among the top 10 run-scorers with 520 runs in 14 matches at an average of 37.14, which included four half-centuries. His strike rate of 136.12 was noticeably slower than that of seasoned players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, as well as rising stars such as Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma, and Rishabh Pant, further fueling online trolling.
Rahul also reminisced about the 2019 controversy involving him and Hardik Pandya, who faced suspension and a fine of Rs 20 lakh due to Pandya's contentious remarks on "Koffee With Karan." Although the suspension was brief, Rahul confessed that its impact lingered on him, recalling he had "never been suspended in school" prior to that incident.