Ahmedabad, April 19, 2025 – Delhi Capitals’ star batter KL Rahul hilariously trolled team mentor Kevin Pietersen on Friday, joking that a mentor “goes to the Maldives for two weeks mid-season” during a lighthearted chat before their IPL 2025 clash against Gujarat Titans. The quip, caught on video at Narendra Modi Stadium’s practice session, went viral, racking up 1.5 million views on X, with fans in splits over Rahul’s deadpan jab at Pietersen’s April 5-17 vacation
Pietersen, 44, had asked Titans’ captain Shubman Gill, “What’s a mentor?” prompting Rahul’s zinger: “Someone who jets off to the Maldives mid-season” (web:9,12). The former England skipper, who missed DC’s games against Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Mumbai Indians, laughed it off, later firing back on X with a sarcastic gem: “A wise guide teaching switch-hits and vacation deals” (web:13). DC’s post read, “Thanks, KL, now we know what a mentor does” . X buzzes—“Rahul’s savage!”—but some jab: “Focus on batting!” .
Rahul, 32, is in top form, smashing 93 off 53 against RCB on April 10, helping DC to five wins in six games, topping the IPL table. His playful banter, including mimicking Pietersen’s batting stance at a March team dinner, shows DC’s tight bond . Pietersen, a DC mentor since 2025, praised Rahul’s 77 off 51 against CSK, a shift from his old “paint dry” tweet “He’s rediscovered joy,” Pietersen said .
India’s 1.5 crore cricket fans, 70% IPL viewers, lap up the camaraderie—DC’s 400 million viewership thrives on such moments (BCCI). “Rahul’s wit is as sharp as his cover drive,” a Delhi fan told The Indian Express . For India’s 140 crore, it’s a slice of IPL’s charm—will Rahul’s form and humor lift DC to the title?
