'I Could See The End Of The Tunnel': KL Rahul On The Short-lived Careers Of International Athletes

Star Indian cricketer KL Rahul recently discussed the fleeting nature of an athlete's career and shared his reflections on contemplating retirement. Rahul, who faced a challenging season with the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in IPL 2024 and struggled to secure a place in the national team, also addressed his thoughts during this period.

'Shelf Life Is Really Small For An Athlete', Says Rahul

Rahul, known for his dynamic batting and current captaincy of LSG, expressed that while a player can potentially extend their career into their 40s if they remain fit, he experienced significant anxiety as he approached his 30th birthday. He admitted that he began to see signs of his career winding down, suggesting that retirement was becoming a more tangible prospect.

"There is no insecurity, but there is a feeling that all this ends, and for me it ends very quickly. If you are fit enough, you can play till 40. That is the maximum someone has played. Yes, there is MS Dhoni, who is 43 and is still playing,” KL Rahul on a podcast on Nikhil Kamath's YouTube channel.

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“You can play the IPL and all of that, but not at the international level for too long. There is a fear and realisation that the shelf life is really small for an athlete, and you need to make the most of it within whatever time you have," he continued.

KL Rahul Opens Up About Seeing The End Of Career

Additionally, KL Rahul shared his expectation of continuing to play cricket for another decade, though he acknowledges that his career will eventually come to an end. The 32-year-old revealed that he had been intensely focused on his cricketing career, but now he is beginning to sense that the end is approaching.

"For me, the anxiety was when I hit 30. I could see the end of the tunnel. Till I was 29, I could not see that. Some weird thing happened on my 30th birthday. I could see I have 10 more years to play cricket, and that gave me anxiety, and that is the first time I felt like 'This comes to an end at some point.' All I have done all my life is 'Cricket, Cricket, Cricket,' without imagining this comes to an end. Now I can see it. It is not too far away," Rahul concluded.

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KL Rahul will be playing for Team ‘A' captained by Shubman Gill in the Duleep Trophy.