India cricket star KL Rahul recently opened up about the lasting impact of the 2019 controversy involving his appearance on the talk show Koffee with Karan. Rahul, alongside teammate Hardik Pandya, faced significant backlash for their comments on the show, which is hosted by Bollywood director Karan Johar.
The appearance sparked widespread criticism, prompting the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to suspend both players from all forms of cricket. At the time of the incident, both Rahul and Pandya were on India’s tour of Australia but had to return home early due to the BCCI’s decision. The suspension, however, was eventually lifted, allowing them to return to the Indian Premier League (IPL) and be included in India’s 2019 ODI World Cup squad after issuing apologies.
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In a recent YouTube podcast with Nikhil Kamath, Rahul spoke candidly about the episode's effect on him. "The interview was a different world. That changed me. Completely changed me. I was a very soft-spoken person growing up. Then I played for India and became very confident. People will know I have been in a room of 100 people. Now I don't because that interview scarred me massively," Rahul said.
He further reflected on the personal impact of the suspension, saying, "Getting suspended from the team. I have never been suspended in school, or punished in school. I don't know how to handle it. I did mischief in schools but nothing to get me expelled from school or my parents have come."