KL Rahul On Return To Chinnaswamy Ahead Of IND vs NZ Test, Says 'Played First Game Here When I Was 11, Now I Am 32'

KL Rahul opened up on an emotional return to the M Chinaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru ahead of the IND vs NZ 1st Test.

KL Rahul will be playing in his home ground when India take on New Zealand in the 1st Test in Bengaluru.

Source : PTI

KL Rahul has opened up on a rather emotional return to the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru ahead of the India vs New Zealand 1st Test.  Notably, Rahul hails from the city and has played much of his cricket at this stadium. In an interaction with BCCI TV, Rahul revealed that he played his first match at the venue when he was 11 years old and he is now 32. He reflected on how much has changed since the time he first played a match on this ground.

"Yeah, it's always special for me to come back here," Rahul said.

"This is where I grew up, played all my cricket. The first game I played here was when I was eleven and a half years old. I’m 32 now, so a lot has changed. But the feeling for me as an eleven year old boy who came here first time, played a game, that feeling for me hasn't changed. I still remember that feeling so many years later as well," he added.

READ HERE | Shubman Gill's Pull Shot Against Bangladesh's Nahid Rana Leaves KL Rahul In Awe— WATCH

Bengaluru 📍

A mix of nostalgia and fun 🏡

Presenting "Namma Maga" ~ KL Rahul 😎

WATCH 🎥🔽 - By @28anand | #TeamIndia | #INDvNZ | @IDFCFIRSTBank | @klrahul pic.twitter.com/GXs6bbc4Mt

— BCCI (@BCCI) October 15, 2024

KL Rahul Likely To Retain His Place In The Playing 11 In Bengaluru Test

Meanwhile, Rahul is likely to retain his place in the Playing 11 in the Benglauru Test. While Sarfaraz Khan slammed a double hundred in the Irani Cup match, Rahul scored a half-century in Kanpur and should play in the series opener against New Zealand, the start of which has been delayed on Wednesday (October 16) due to rain.

However, reports emerged that Shubman Gill complained of shoulder and neck pain before the start of the 1st match and if it turns out to be something serious, Sarfaraz might be slotted in place of Gill.