Delhi batter KL Rahul recently surpassed Mahendra Singh Dhoni on the all-time run-scorers’ list of the IPL. But the 34-year-old is after something bigger.

With 5,580 runs in 144 innings, Rahul has overtaken Dhoni’s 5439 runs in 242 innings. But the Delhi Capitals player said that matching Dhoni’s IPL titles would make him happier.

Speaking to JioHotstar, the keeper-batter said: “I didn’t even realise I had gone past Mahi bhai. Personal milestones are good. They reassure me that I am on the right track. But what would truly make me happy is winning as many trophies as MS Dhoni.

“Cricket is a team sport. You want to win trophies. You want to be part of successful sides. That has always been my goal.”

While the Capitals have struggled with consistency this season, Rahul has played some noteworthy knocks. On Friday, the opener made a fine 75 off 40 balls in the Capitals’ seven-wicket win over the Rajasthan Royals.

Reflecting on his own role, Rahul said: “Being an opener makes my life easier. It’s a role I’ve always done, and it gives me a clear game plan. But batting in different positions has helped me grow and understand my game better.

While Rahul represents the senior group of Indian T20 players, it’s the youngsters who have taken the game by storm with their fearless approach to batting.

“They don’t fear reputations — whether it’s someone like Jasprit Bumrah or Pat Cummins. They just see the ball and want to hit it out of the park. That’s the mindset modern T20 cricket demands,” Rahul said.

“It’s phenomenal what the new-age cricketers are doing. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has taken world cricket by storm. Two centuries at the age of 15 is something I never even dreamt of doing.

“Ayush Mhatre has also done well, helping CSK score quick runs. The amount of talent coming up in India is scary, especially in T20 cricket. These fearless prodigies are changing the way T20s are played,” he added.

Rahul also spoke about his love affair with the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. He enjoys a remarkable record against Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

“I’ve thought about whether there’s a switch I use against RCB, but I haven’t found an answer. Chinnaswamy is very special to me. I grew up there, and something just clicks when I play at that venue.

“So, a psychological switch happens when I go there. I’ve done well in international games there too,” the Karnataka batter said.