Sanjay Manjrekar launched a scathing assessment of KL Rahul’s batting mindset after Delhi Capitals suffered an eight-wicket loss to Chennai Super Kings on Tuesday. Delhi managed only 155/7 in their 20 overs, and CSK chased it down comfortably, finishing on 159/2 in 17.3 overs.
Quick facts
- Delhi Capitals scored 155/7 in 20 overs against Chennai Super Kings.
- CSK chased the target to reach 159/2 in 17.3 overs.
- KL Rahul made 12 off 12 balls in the first five overs before getting out on the first ball of the sixth over.
- Rahul was caught by Ruturaj Gaikwad off a delivery from Akeal Hosein.
- Manjrekar said Rahul’s early dismissal “signed the death warrant” for the side’s chase-or-competitive total-building.
- Pathum Nissanka fell for 19 off 15 balls, and Axar Patel made 2 off 6 balls.
- Axar Patel felt 155 looked competitive on the wicket but DC were 10–15 runs short, and he also mentioned missing Kuldeep in bowling.
Manjrekar pointed out the timing of Rahul’s dismissal as the key problem. After registering just 12 runs from 12 balls, Rahul was removed right away in the sixth over, departing on the very first delivery of that phase.
Facing a lofted ball from Akeal Hosein, Rahul attempted to work it from inside out over cover. Instead of finding the gap, he sliced it high in the air, allowing Ruturaj Gaikwad to take a straightforward catch.
Taking to Instagram, Manjrekar described the pattern he believed Rahul repeats. He said it can resemble the way odd-and-even games play out—sometimes Rahul attacks the line early, which is “the KL Rahul you want.” But, in Manjrekar’s view, once he feels he has earned the right to settle in, he then shifts into a responsibility mode that doesn’t match the momentum the team needs.
He added that getting out after starting with 12 off 12 effectively removes the platform the rest of the batting can build on. In his words, after those flat first six overs, Delhi were already “done for the game,” with the damage done before the innings had a chance to accelerate.
Manjrekar also contrasted the start with the wider expectations from openers. Rahul’s 12 off 12 came across the first six overs, meaning two overs at a strike rate of 100. With openers, he argued, the standard must be higher—especially when the intent is to explode later rather than allow the innings to stall at the top.
Form update and season context
Despite the criticism, Rahul’s broader season numbers have been strong. Manjrekar’s remarks did not change the fact that Rahul is currently third in the Orange Cap race, and he has delivered consistently across matches this term.
In IPL 2026, Rahul has scored 445 runs in 10 games, averaging 49.44, while striking at 180.89. He has also notched one century and three half-centuries during the season.
However, the collapse against CSK wasn’t limited to Rahul. Delhi’s batting effort faltered across the top order, with Pathum Nissanka—Rahul’s opening partner—departing for 19 off 15 balls. Skipper Axar Patel managed only 2 runs from six deliveries, adding to the team’s early pressure.
Axar’s post-match comments
After the defeat, Axar Patel explained how the pitch influenced the first-innings assessment. He said that when DC batted, given the way the wicket was behaving in the opening spell, 155 appeared like a solid total. But because the side was batting with eight batters, he felt they were still short by roughly 10–15 runs.
Axar also discussed the innings finish, noting that even after losing five wickets, the way they ended their overs was encouraging. He then turned to the bowling side, saying that while there were positives in batting, he felt he missed his bowling partner Kuldeep.
