NEW DELHI: KL Rahul is all set to open for the Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. The 33-year-old will also don the gloves for the Delhi-based franchise.
In the previous season, the experienced batsman initially featured in the middle order, but poor returns from big buy Jake Fraser-McGurk forced the think tank to promote him up the top in search of more stable openings.
Rahul batted at number 4, a position decided before the season began, in most games last season, but a course correction occurred after 11 league matches. The position change reaped instant rewards as Rahul scored an unbeaten 112 off 65 balls against the Gujarat Titans. However, it was a lost cause as the Shubman Gill-led unit revised the 200-run target with ten wickets in hand and an over to spare.
Rahul was the leading run-getter for the Delhi Capitals last year, scoring 539 runs in 13 games. Rahul’s strike rate was 149.72, the best since the 2018 edition.
The Delhi Capitals have begun preparations for the upcoming season, and multiple preparatory camps with Indian players have already taken place in Delhi and Hyderabad. The coaching staff, led by head coach Hemang Badani and Director of Cricket Venugopal Rao, has shifted its focus to the IPL after fulfilling its commitments to The Hundred. More clarity on roles will emerge when captain Axar Patel links up with the team.
Delhi Capitals had made some smart purchases in the auction. They managed to acquire David Miller and Ben Duckett at their base prices. They also strengthened their bowling attack by adding Auqib Nabi, Lungi Ngidi and Kyle Jamieson.
The Axar Patel-led unit got off to a good start last season but lost steam after losing to Mumbai Indians at home. The loss derailed their momentum and some unremarkable back-to-back performances knocked them out of the playoff race. The Capitals finished in 5th place when the league stage of the tournament ended.
A strong Indian core, quality foreign teams and two world-class spinners in Axar and Kuldeep Yadav make the Delhi unit the team to watch this season. They will hope that their good performance puts an end to their long wait for a first IPL title.