Hailing from Karnataka and named Rahul by a cricket-loving father, many would assume the star Indian cricketer was named after Indian cricket legend Rahul Dravid, who is not one of the greatest cricketers to play for India but a former head coach and captain.

Rahul had previously revealed that he is named after a famous cricketer, but the story behind is an interesting one and a case of mistaken identity. The Indian cricket legend stated that his father was a big fan of Sunil Gavaskar and wanted to name him after the Indian cricket legend's son. However, Rahul's father misheard that Sunil's son was named Rahul instead of his real name (Rohan).

"My dad's story checks out more than my mother's. He was a huge Gavsakar fan. He used to listen to him on the radio and all. He heard it as Rahul," Rahul said on Breakfast with Champions with Gaurav Kapoor a few years back.

However, Rahul's mother claimed that she named him after Bollywood legend Shah Rukh Khan, a story Rahul does not believe.

"Her side of the story was she was a huge Shah Rukh Khan fan and his character in the 90s were Rahul. I told my friend. He said 'Bro Shah Rukh's first character as Rahul was in 1994. You were born in 1992. It does not make sense.' Then I googled it and asked my mother, she is like 'Something like that. But she is a big Shah Rukh Khan," said Rahul in the same show.

Sunil's son Rohan also played for India, making them a rare father-son pair to play for India alongside Yuvraj-Yograj Singh, Vijay-Sanjay Manjrekar, Vinoo-Ashok Mankad, Roger-Stuart Binny, Hemanth-Hrishikesh Kantikar, Lala-Mohinder/Surinder Amarnath.

Rohan, a left-handed batter who also bowled left-arm spin, played 11 ODIS for India in 2004. He scored 151 runs at an average of 18.54 with one half-century while also taking one wicket.

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