Delhi Capitals endured a crushing 47-run loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad in their IPL 2026 encounter on Tuesday at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. Chasing a towering target, DC fell short despite late resistance, leaving the spotlight on KL Rahul after a slow 23-ball knock of 37.
Key takeaways
- Sunrisers Hyderabad posted 242/2 in 20 overs, setting up a 243-run target for Delhi Capitals.
- Abhishek Sharma turned the game with an unbeaten 135 off just 68 balls.
- Delhi Capitals finished on 195/9, with Nitish Rana and Sameer Rizvi putting up a fight.
- Rahul’s innings of 37 came from 23 deliveries and included only one boundary alongside three sixes.
- Former India opener Aakash Chopra questioned Rahul’s intent in the chase and also raised wicketkeeping concerns.
Abhishek’s explosive 135 powers SRH to 242/2
Batting first, SRH piled on a massive total of 242/2 in their full quota. Opener Abhishek Sharma was the standout performer, striking quickly and maintaining control throughout his innings. He faced 68 balls and finished unbeaten on 135, effectively breaking the rhythm of the Delhi bowling unit.
DC’s chase falls short as powerplay momentum is missing
In response, Delhi Capitals could not match SRH’s intensity and were restricted to 195/9. Even with efforts from Nitish Rana and Sameer Rizvi, the chase never fully gathered pace. DC managed only 59 runs in the powerplay, a key factor given the steep nature of the target of 243.
Chopra targets Rahul’s batting approach and wicketkeeping
After the defeat, KL Rahul’s performance became a major talking point. Rahul scored 37 off 23 balls, with his knock featuring just one boundary and three sixes. His approach was seen as insufficient to build momentum early, especially while chasing a score above 240.
Chopra criticised Rahul’s shot selection and the level of aggression required in such a chase. He argued that when a batter takes 23 balls for 37 runs, the real question is how many attacking options were actually pursued. In Chopra’s view, failing to capitalise in the powerplay when chasing a total in the 240-plus range almost inevitably leads to defeat, even if the chase remains theoretically possible.
He also suggested that Rahul’s mindset might have been affected by an issue, noting it looked like there could have been a niggle. Still, Chopra drew a comparison to a recurring pattern seen in other matches—when teams adopt a cautious plan while chasing huge scores, the result tends to go against them regardless.
Beyond batting, Chopra questioned Rahul’s value behind the stumps. He pointed to a specific wicketkeeping lapse that, in his assessment, created a crucial lifeline for Abhishek Sharma during the match. Chopra said Rahul is a batter who keeps wickets rather than a keeper who primarily keeps and then adds with the bat, implying that errors behind the stumps can outweigh contributions with the bat.
Concluding his remarks, Chopra maintained that while mistakes are part of the game, a player like Rahul invites extra scrutiny when chances are missed, as those slips can reduce the overall impact of his innings.
