Former India batter Ambati Rayudu believes KL Rahul’s batting has taken a noticeable step forward in the IPL 2026 season, pointing to an increased sense of purpose at the crease. Speaking after Delhi Capitals’ (DC) comfortable win over Rajasthan Royals (RR), Rayudu said Rahul has always been capable of upsetting bowling plans, but is now approaching each delivery with more conviction—especially when it comes to how he chooses his shots. “He [Rahul] has always had the game. He can take on any bowler at any time; it is just his mindset. Against RR, we have seen a very, very good approach to his batting,” Rayudu said.
Rayudu also broke down Rahul’s work against spin, with a specific focus on how the batter handled Ravi Bishnoi. He explained that Rahul committed to attacking the bowler because he trusted the pace and felt he could still stay in control of his timing even while waiting in his stance. “He went through a couple of shots against Ravi Bishnoi because he was sure that Bishnoi had the pace, and he could just stand in the crease and still go through with the shot. That shot was still not on—slightly good-length or short-of-a-length—which he hit straight for six. That shows that the wicket was good, and also KL’s confidence in his batting and a change in the way he generally bats,” Rayudu added.
The former India player further noted that Rahul’s willingness to play at deliveries he might have previously been more inclined to defend has been a major driver of his improved strike rate during the tournament. “These are the balls that he generally does not take in, and it is a great sign that he is taking on these lengths and deliveries against spin. That is why we are seeing him play such higher strike-rates in this tournament compared to a few other seasons,” Rayudu said.
Delhi’s chase itself underlined the point, as the franchise pulled off a record 226-run run pursuit—DC’s highest total in IPL history—to beat RR by seven wickets. A strong start featuring a 110-run opening partnership between KL Rahul and Pathum Nissanka gave Delhi the platform, before Tristan Stubbs and Ashutosh Sharma guided the chase to completion with five balls remaining.
Earlier in the match, Rajasthan set up a competitive total with Riyan Parag scoring 90 and Donovan Ferreira contributing 47 not out, taking RR to 225/6. Mitchell Starc was the key strike bowler for Delhi, finishing with three wickets. In the end, it was DC’s fourth win of the season, moving them to sixth place on the table, while Rajasthan remained fourth.
Rahul was central to the successful run chase, producing a sharp innings of 40 balls for 70 runs, including six fours and five sixes. With that knock, Rahul also became the leading run-scorer in the ongoing season, and he was named Player of the Match for his performance.
