KL Rahul opens up about relentless social media trolling
What's the story
Seasoned Indian cricketer KL Rahul has recently shared his experiences with relentless online trolling.
Since making his international debut in 2014, Rahul has become a vital member of the team across all formats.
He has even captained the team during Rohit Sharma's absences due to rest or injury.
However, his batting approach in T20 cricket has often been criticized and led to him being overlooked for the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup squad.
Trolling experience
Rahul's struggle with online trolling
Rahul confessed that he was subjected to intense online trolling a few years ago.
"I used to be good with [handling] trolling. I did not care, but I feel I was much younger back then," he said on Nikhil Kamath's podcast.
He further added, "And then, a couple of years back, I was exposed to a lot of trolling. If I sat, I got trolled; if I stood, I got trolled."
Coping mechanism
Rahul's strategy to deal with online trolling
Rahul revealed that he has now distanced himself from Instagram to cope with the trolling.
"I am done with the trolling now. For the last one and a half years, I have gotten off Instagram completely," he stated.
Despite his struggles, Rahul has demonstrated his versatility in ODIs and Tests, performing well as both an opener and middle-order batter.
Career progression
Rahul's performance and leadership changes
Despite his impressive average of 75.33 in the 2023 ODI World Cup, Rahul's slow 66-run inning in the final against Australia drew criticism.
Recently, he was also surpassed by Shubman Gill for the vice-captaincy role in ODIs.
During the podcast, Rahul reminisced about his school days and suspension following an episode of Koffee with Karan, marking it as his first such experience.