India’s triumph in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 will be remembered not just for its dominant performances but also for a lighthearted exchange between wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul and presenter Sanjana Ganesan. The moment, which quickly went viral, came after India’s emphatic title win when Rahul gave a cheeky response to Ganesan, the wife of pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, during a post-match interview.
KL Rahul’s Hilarious Take on Keeping Wickets to Spinners
India’s formidable spin quartet—Varun Chakravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, and Axar Patel—played a crucial role in India’s unbeaten campaign. However, keeping wickets to them was no easy task, as Rahul revealed in his interview with Ganesan. When asked about how much ‘fun’ it was to keep wickets behind such a lethal spin attack, Rahul jokingly replied:
“Not fun, Sanjana! I have had to squat 200-250 times when these spinners are bowling.”
His candid response left fans in splits and quickly became a trending topic on social media.
Rahul’s Redemption: Proving His Worth as India’s Wicketkeeper-Batter
KL Rahul’s Champions Trophy campaign was not just about his witty remarks but also his stellar performances with the bat and behind the stumps. Initially facing stiff competition from Rishabh Pant for the wicketkeeper’s role, Rahul justified the team management’s faith in him with consistent performances under pressure. His ability to assist skipper Rohit Sharma with Decision Review System (DRS) calls and his composure in crucial moments made him an indispensable asset to the team.
Rahul finished the tournament with 140 runs in four innings at an astounding average of 140 and a strike rate of 97.90. His unbeaten 42 in the semifinal and a steady 34 in the final showcased his ability to anchor the innings in crunch situations. His contributions earned him a well-deserved spot in the ICC’s ‘Team of the Tournament.’
India’s Spin Quartet Dominates the Tournament
India’s decision to field five specialist spinners paid off handsomely, with their tweakers finishing as the most successful bowling unit of the tournament.
Varun Chakravarthy emerged as India’s joint-highest wicket-taker, bagging 9 wickets in just three matches.
Mohammed Shami, leading India’s pace attack, also claimed 9 wickets.
Kuldeep Yadav secured 7 scalps, while Jadeja and Axar combined for 10 wickets.
In total, India’s spinners accounted for 26 dismissals—more than any other team in the competition.
Rahul highlighted the challenge of keeping wickets on spin-friendly pitches, praising the bowlers for their execution:
“They are high quality. The pitches obviously assisted them a bit, which made them even more dangerous. That makes it even more challenging for me behind the stumps. The way they have bowled, the way they have used those conditions has been phenomenal.”
A Long-Awaited ICC Trophy for KL Rahul
For Rahul, this victory was extra special as it marked his first ICC title. The Karnataka cricketer reflected on India’s journey and the importance of winning major tournaments:
“ICC victories are not so easy to get, and it’s my first one, so I’m over the moon. It’s been a complete team effort, all 11-12 players have stepped up when their opportunity came, and that’s one of the biggest reasons we have ended up winning the tournament.”
