Cricketer KL Rahul has finally revealed the touching story behind his distinctive ‘whistle celebration,’ confirming it’s a heartwarming gesture dedicated to his daughter, Evaarah. Speaking on the ‘2 Sloggers’ YouTube show, the India star clarified that many people had misunderstood the gesture.
“It’s not a whistle celebration. My daughter does this,” he explained with a smile. “Babies usually suck their thumbs, but she sucks her fingers, so it was for her.”
During the same conversation, Rahul also opened up about his famously composed on-field demeanor and how he manages his emotions. While he is often perceived as calm and unflappable, Rahul admitted that he does experience anger but makes a conscious effort to keep it concealed. “It comes out honestly, but I hide it well. I am calm compared to others, maybe one or two out of ten, but I do get angry. Whenever I show anger on the field, my mother calls me and asks, ‘What are you doing?’ That’s why I don’t show much anger,” he shared.
Rahul has consistently been one of India’s most dependable players across all formats in recent years. In Test cricket, he showcased an exceptional performance during the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy against England, amassing 532 runs as an opener at an impressive average of 53.2. He continued his strong form with a century in the first Test and an unbeaten 58 in the second against the West Indies at home.
In One-Day Internationals (ODIs), KL Rahul has solidified his position as India’s most reliable middle-order batter and the team’s primary wicketkeeper. Interestingly, since Gautam Gambhir took on the role of head coach, Rahul has been batting at No. 6, with Axar Patel promoted to No. 5 to maintain a balanced left-hand and right-hand batting combination.
However, Rahul’s T20 International career has been on hold since the 2022 World Cup semi-final against England, which marked his last appearance in the shortest format. Despite being out of India’s T20 setup, he has continued to excel in franchise cricket. Representing Delhi Capitals in the IPL 2025 season, Rahul delivered a standout performance, scoring 539 runs at an average of 53.90 and a strike rate of 149.72.