KL Rahul was unaware that he will open against the Chennai Super Kings until eleven in the morning on the day of the match. Even so, he was simply hinted at the possibility that, should Faf du Plessis fail, his role would change for this particular game. Du Plessis was in the nets batting with his usual partner, Jake Fraser-McGurk, on the eve of the game. After those two had had their fill, Abishek Porel and Rahul, DC’s No. 3 and No. 4, took their turn to score.
Rahul continued to try creative shots all over the wicket during the practice, which might have been useful if he had to bat at the last minute due to his role. In the 16th over of the innings, one of those strokes was even seen against Mukesh Choudhary. But what made DC’s victory at a location that has eluded them for years stand out was his smooth return to the starting position. Rahul acknowledged that before the competition, he was getting ready to start the batting for DC. Rahul had to shift down the order for the first time in the IPL since 2016, though, due to Harry Brook’s late withdrawal. Rahul went back up top after making a brief appearance at No. 4 in the previous match. He also made the appropriate plays against CSK’s spin trio in the powerplay and post.
Rahul is obviously not new to the role. Many years ago, he alternated between the opening slot and No. 4 for RCB during a season that was crucial to his development as a T20 batsman. Today, he bats at 5 or even 6 for India in the ODI format. Rohit Sharma and Ambati Rayudu are the only players other than Rahul who have accomplished the double-duty triumph in a single season.
| Player/Season | Batting slot | Runs | Average | Strike rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rohit Sharma in 2015 | Opener | 98 | 98 | 146.26 |
| Rohit Sharma in 2015 | No.3 | 165 | 27.5 | 139.83 |
| Rohit Sharma in 2015 | No.4 | 219 | 31.29 | 147.97 |
| KL Rahul in 2016 | Opener | 213 | 35.5 | 147.91 |
| KL Rahul in 2016 | No.4 | 184 | 61.33 | 144.88 |
| Ambati Rayudu in 2018 | Opener | 396 | 44 | 147.21 |
| Ambati Rayudu in 2018 | No.4 | 157 | 39.25 | 160.2 |
All three instances share a common theme. These batters’ accomplishments were crucial to their clubs’ deep tournament runs. Actually, Rahul came within six runs of winning the title in 2016, Rayudu won it in 2018, and Rohit won it in 2015. This emphasizes how crucial it is to have a versatile player who can excel in a variety of batting order roles. Despite his player-of-the-match performance up top against CSK, Rahul may return to the middle order if du Plessis is healthy for DC’s upcoming encounter against RCB. DC now knows that they have the option of moving Rahul up the order once more and possibly strengthening that middle order by adding Donovan Ferreira if Fraser-McGurk’s lackluster returns persist.
Rahul’s IPL performances in previous years have raised doubts about his T20 abilities, particularly in light of his “intent” and “strike rate.” But Rahul’s ticket back into the national T20 team, which he hasn’t played in since India’s 2022 World Cup quarterfinal defeat to England, may be an opportunity to show off his versatility in the IPL after nine years. However, the IPL will be the only emphasis for the time being. Additionally, there are indications that Rahul is finally a member of a setup that appears to be reliable after several setbacks in recent years.
Although Fraser-McGurk’s future is still in doubt, DC has also not needed Karun Nair’s services, who entered the competition riding high after some impressive domestic cricket results. Rahul wasn’t available for their first game, and they haven’t signed a replacement for Brook yet. Not to mention this bowling assault, which already appears to be strong and will only get stronger once T Natarajan is fully recovered.
Despite this, the Delhi team is currently the only undefeated team in the IPL 2025 and has won their first three games for the first time in sixteen years. Even historically, this club has never won the event, and the most recent cycle was a complete bust. A player who has never taken home this title is shown here. 2025 is a fantastic time to support one another.
