Delhi Capitals opener KL Rahul has had a disastrous start to IPL 2026, registering back-to-back low scores after a long hiatus from T20 cricket. His consecutive failures against Lucknow Super Giants and Mumbai Indians have put him under pressure, sparking debates among fans about his current T20 form.
Delhi Capitals (DC) opener KL Rahul has yet again failed to deliver in the IPL 2026 clash against the five-time champions Mumbai Indians at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on Saturday, April 4.
KL Rahul returned to competitive cricket after a month, with his last appearance being in the Ranji Trophy Final against Jammu and Kashmir in Hubbali, where Karnataka lost the title after J&K secured their maiden title based on first-innings. Moreover, the Karnataka batter returned to T20 cricket after nearly a year, with his last outing in the format being in the IPL 2025.
As KL Rahul has been out of India’s T20I setup for over four years and was not part of the India squad that won the T20 World Cup twice in 2024 and 2026, he has struggled to make an impact in the shortest format since his long absence from competitive T20 cricket.
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Not An Ideal for KL Rahul in ,IPL 2026
In the last IPL season, KL Rahul was a standout batter for Delhi Capitals, amassing 539 runs, including a century and 3 fifties, at an average of 53.90 and a strike rate of 149.72 in 13 matches. Yet, the veteran Indian batter wasn’t considered for the T20Is for India, especially for the T20 World Cup.
The ongoing IPL 2026 is a perfect opportunity for Rahul to make a statement again and break into the T20I team. However, the early struggles in the tournament have raised concerns about gaining his T20 rhythm. In the opening match against his former team, Lucknow Super Giants, the right-handed batter registered a golden duck, dismissed by Mohammed Shami.
In the most recent outing against the Mumbai Indians, KL Rahul has yet again failed to make a significant contribution, scoring just 1 off 3 balls, falling early in the innings, and leaving the Delhi Capitals under pressure.
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KL Rahul’s back-to-back failures on his return to T20 cricket have raised concerns about his ability to quickly regain form. The Karnataka batter didn’t feature in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy as he was involved with national commitments, including the Test series against South Africa, and the ODI series against South Africa and New Zealand.
Rahul’s lack of preparation in T20 cricket, apart from the nets session, appeared to have affected his timing and shot selection, making him susceptible to early dismissals in the opening matches of IPL 2026.
KL Rahul’s T20 Form Questioned
The Delhi Capitals’ back-to-back failures in the run chases against the Lucknow Super Giants and the Mumbai Indians have intensified doubts about his current T20 form, with fans and cricket enthusiasts on social media, especially X (formerly Twitter), beginning to debate whether he can rediscover the consistency that made him one of India’s top T20 openers.
Taking to their X handles, fans and cricket enthusiasts voiced their disappointment over Rahul’s performances, with many criticizing his back-to-back early dismissals, questioning his ability to handle pressure, and debating whether the Delhi Capitals should rethink his role as the team’s anchor in the T20 format.
Others pointed out that DC have other in-form players who could step up, while some questioned if Rahul’s long T20 absence has affected his form.
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In his IPL career, KL Rahul is the sixth leading run-getter among Indian batters with 5223 runs, including 5 centuries and 40 fifties, at an average of 45.41 and a 135.90 in 147 matches. In his T20 career, the Delhi Capitals have aggregated 8125 runs, including seven centuries and 68 fifties, at an average of 42.31 and a strike rate of 136.66 in 240 matches.
For Team India, KL Rahul has amassed 2265 runs, including two centuries and 22 fifties, at an average of 37.75 and an economy rate of 139.12 in 72 matches.
Also Read: IPL 2026: We are chasing, not defending title, says RCB’s Sharma