"Why are you thinking about the next youngster already?" - Team India star lashes out at critics amid IPL 2025

Team India star KL Rahul slammed critics for their obsession with the future, even when things are working well. The 33-year-old has been one of the veteran Indian players suffering frequent axings across formats, with the management's constant pursuit of youngsters.

Furthermore, Rahul has batted at several positions in India's batting order across formats over the years. Yet, he has delivered consistently, especially in the white-ball formats.

Rahul recently helped India win the 2025 Champions Trophy, playing the role of a finisher at Nos. 5 and 6.

In an interview with Nasser Hussain on Sky Sports, Rahul opened up about the moving goalposts Indian cricketers have to deal with.

"I don't know when the next ODI series will be, but by the time the English summer gets over, which could be about five (three) months, you see people writing and commenting that we need to look for players for the 2027 World Cup or the next World Cup after. And sometimes, as a player, you sit back and think, 'why should there be a change when something's working for you? Why are you thinking about the next youngster already?" said Rahul (via Hindustan Times).

Rahul has been part of the Indian side in all three formats over the past decade, playing a combined 215 matches. However, the veteran batter has been out of favor in T20Is, with his last game for India coming in the 2022 World Cup.

"People who make decisions seem to forget what a player has done" - KL Rahul

KL Rahul further called out the decision-makers for forgetting the performances of established players in recent tournaments during selection. While acknowledging the need to produce results, the 33-year-old felt that proving himself time and again has become a challenge.

"I don't mind having to prove himself. I think that's how sports go. You never settle. And it's just not for me, it's for every person who plays a sport. You have to always perform, every tournament, every game, and that's the challenge of being an international athlete. That's not what's hard. The hard part is that people who make decisions seem to forget what a player has done in the recent tournament. That has been a little bit of a challenge for me," said Rahul (via aforementioned source).

Rahul finished his IPL 2025 campaign for the Delhi Capitals (DC) with an incredible 539 runs at an average of almost 54 and a strike rate of 149.52 in 13 outings. However, despite his stellar efforts, DC missed out on playoff qualification.