Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar didn’t mince words about KL Rahul’s batting after Delhi Capitals suffered a crushing defeat against Chennai Super Kings. Rahul’s stay at the crease ended with a disappointing return of 12 runs from 12 balls, when Akeal Hosein got the better of him. Rahul went for an inside-out shot against the spinner, but the execution was way off the mark, and Ruturaj Gaikwad took a straightforward catch to seal his dismissal. Manjrekar framed the problem as far more than a single poor ball—he suggested that getting out so cheaply is nearly equivalent to handing the opposition control of the chase or the innings.
Speaking on Instagram, Manjrekar argued that Rahul’s approach doesn’t match the demands of modern opening partnerships, where batters are expected to keep the scoreboard moving from the outset. He compared Rahul’s mindset to the idea of “odd and even” phases, where sometimes he attacks early and resembles the version of the batter teams want—only for the innings to change once he feels he has “earned the right.” In Manjrekar’s view, that shift in intent often turns into a responsibility he can’t carry, resulting in an innings that stalls before it can ever build momentum. Once Rahul is dismissed after reaching just 12 off 12, Manjrekar said, it effectively becomes a “death warrant” for the side, because the team loses its base and the middle overs become much harder to navigate. He added that after DC’s lacklustre start over the first six overs, the match was effectively beyond them.
Manjrekar also pointed to the broader context of Rahul’s recent performances, stressing that the numbers in the opening phase matter intensely in today’s T20 game. He noted that Rahul, after a strong knock in the previous outing, managed only 12 off 12 balls during the first six overs—two overs worth of batting at a strike rate of 100. With openers setting the tempo at much higher rates, Manjrekar said it’s unrealistic to expect an opener to merely “get going later” when they are already failing to generate the required pace early. In his words, if openers can go at close to 200, then an innings built around a pause-and-hope plan for a late explosion becomes a major tactical issue.
Rahul’s form has been a key storyline in the ongoing IPL 2026, and Manjrekar’s criticism came while acknowledging that the batter has been in good rhythm. He is currently third in the Orange Cap standings. In 10 matches so far, Rahul has scored 445 runs, maintaining an average of 49.44 and a strike rate of 180.89. He has already reached a century as well as adding three half-centuries, underscoring that the talent and the impact are there—while this particular dismissal against CSK highlighted how costly a slow start can be for a team trying to stay in the contest.
