April 11, 2025: KL Rahul, the usually composed and reserved Delhi Capitals (DC) wicketkeeper-batter, showed a rare burst of emotion during his side’s recent IPL 2025 win over Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) — and now, he’s revealed the powerful inspiration behind it.
Following his scintillating 93 off 53 balls*, Rahul broke into a passionate celebration at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, thumping his chest, pointing to the ground, and tapping his bat, in a moment that has since gone viral across social media platforms.
In a video shared by Delhi Capitals, Rahul explained the sentiment behind the gesture:
“This is a special place for me. This celebration was from one of my favourite movies, Kantara. So, a tiny reminder that this ground, this turf, this place where I grew up, is mine.”
The scene he referenced is from the 2022 Kannada blockbuster Kantara, where a character plants his sword into the ground in a defiant display of ownership and legacy. For Rahul, a Karnataka cricketer who spent formative years playing at Chinnaswamy — both in domestic cricket and during his early IPL stints with RCB (2013 & 2016) — the ground holds deep emotional value.
And the numbers back his connection to the venue. In 20 T20s at Chinnaswamy, Rahul has scored 544 runs at an average of 41.84 and a strike rate of over 145, including three half-centuries. In 18 IPL matches, he has racked up 475 runs at an average of 43.18 and a strike rate of nearly 144, with his career-best IPL score of 93 coming on this very turf*.
Rahul’s dominance extends across formats at the venue:
- ODIs: 2 matches, 121 runs, avg. 60.50 — including the fastest World Cup century by an Indian (102 off 62 vs Netherlands in 2023)
- Tests: 3 matches, 207 runs, avg. 41.40, including three fifties and a top score of 90
Rahul’s recent celebration has added another layer to his growing legacy — not just as a match-winner for DC and India, but also as a player deeply rooted in the culture and emotion of his home state.