Indian cricketer KL Rahul partnered with Bengaluru-based sports technology startup str8bat to launch an AI-powered batting platform. str8bat combines performance analytics with personalised coaching insights, enabling players to access professional-level feedback through data-driven training.
The partnership introduces the ‘KLR1 x str8bat’ kit which integrates KL Rahul’s batting philosophy, preparation methods and decision-making approach into str8bat’s GenAI-powered learning platform.
The company said the initiative aims to help cricketers better understand their batting performance through objective data rather than relying solely on instinct and traditional coaching methods.
At the centre of the platform is Power Score, str8bat’s proprietary batting metric that combines bat speed, impact speed, sweet-spot percentage and timing index into a single score to measure batting performance consistently across sessions.
Founded in 2017, str8bat has built a sensor-based batting intelligence platform that attaches directly to a cricket bat and captures metrics such as bat speed, swing path, impact zones, timing efficiency and shot execution. Unlike many sports analytics systems, the platform does not require cameras, wearables or specialised infrastructure.
According to Gagan Daga, Co-founder and CEO of str8bat, the company’s goal is to democratise access to performance intelligence for cricketers across skill levels.
“At str8bat, our focus is simple - every cricketer should have clear, objective insight into their game. Through our GenAI platform, players will be able to see their own data and learn from KL Rahul’s approach to cricket,” Daga added.
Rahul said that the platform provides greater clarity into the technical aspects of batting that are often difficult to measure.
“str8bat’s insights helped me understand where I needed more work. It changes the quality of practice because it starts training with intent,” he noted.
The company currently works with organisations including Cricket Australia and IPL franchise Rajasthan Royals and claims to have more than 25,000 users across professional academies, high-performance centres and grassroots cricket programmes.
The announcement comes as sports organisations increasingly adopt AI and performance analytics to enhance athlete development.
With the new partnership, str8bat aims to combine personalised coaching, sensor-driven insights and generative AI to make elite-level batting intelligence accessible to cricketers worldwide.
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