Indian wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul went through a dreadful time after his appearance in the popular TV show ‘Koffee with Karan’ in 2019.

Rahul appeared on the show along with teammate Hardik Pandya. Some "misogynistic" and "sexist" comments were passed in that episode which landed both the cricketers in hot water.

After receiving flak from various quarters, the duo was suspended pending an inquiry by the BCCI and called back from the 2018-19 tour of Australia.

Five years later, Rahul opened up about the entire controversy and admitted that it scarred him. He also revealed that it completed changed him as a person.

"I used to be good with trolling. I used to think I don't care. I was much younger back then. Couple of years back, I was exposed to a lot of trolling. If I sat I got trolled, If I stood I got trolled," Rahul said on a podcast with Nikhil Kamath on the latter’s YouTube channel

"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. Getting suspended from the team. I have never been suspended in school, 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," he added.

KL Rahul last played for India during the ODI series against Sri Lanka earlier this month. He will feature in the first round of upcoming Duleep Trophy match for Team A, before making his return to the Indian Test team for the home Test series against Bangladesh.

While the Duldeep Trophy is slated to get underway on September 5, India will host Bangladesh in a two-match Test series from September 19 onwards.