KL Rahul's New Batting Position Confirmed For IPL 2026

KL Rahul's batting position confirmed for IPL 2026 [Source: AFP]

The IPL 2026 is just around the corner, and ahead of the marquee event, there are rumours coming in from the Delhi Capitals camp. Last season, their star batter, KL Rahul, was mainly used as a middle-order batter, as that particular area was DC’s weak link. However, it seems this season, the veteran will get a new role.

In the IPL 2025 season, Delhi Capitals had Jake Fraser-McGurk and Faf du Plessis as the two first-choice openers, but unfortunately for the franchise, neither of the two players delivered the goods. Both players were released by the team ahead of the IPL 2026, and the management has decided to push KL Rahul at the top.

According to a report by TOI Journalist, Sahil Malhotra, the 33-year-old star will don a new role in the upcoming season, as the team needs a reliable batter at the top, and KL Rahul is their best bet.

DC rectify mistake as KL Rahul set to open

For the majority of his IPL career, KL Rahul has opened the batting, and it is at the top where he has been the most successful. However, for some reason in IPL 2025, the Capitals management decided to push him down the order, and while it didn’t hamper his numbers, the batters’ capability was not fully utilised.

He played 11 matches as a middle-order batter in 2025, and it was only in the last three games that DC pushed him as an opener, and he instantly rewarded them with a century against the Gujarat Titans.

Hence, it seems like DC wants to continue the same trend as they have learnt from their mistakes, and will permanently play KL Rahul at his favourite spot (opener).

Also Read: Delhi Capitals’ X-Factors Who Can Win Them IPL 2026 Title

KL Rahul's stats as an opener in IPL

The Karnataka batter has played 103 innings as an opener in the IPL, and the batter possesses brilliant stats at the top. He has slammed 4418 runs, with an average of 49, and a strike rate of 138.15.

Out of his 5222 IPL runs, 4418 runs have come in as an opener, justifying that DC made a mistake last season, but now they have made the right choice by playing their best batter at the top.

Who will open alongside KL Rahul in IPL 2026

Unlike last season, the Delhi Capitals have a plethora of players who can open alongside KL Rahul in the IPL season. The obvious two choices will be England’s Ben Duckett and Sri Lanka’s Pathum Nissanka. Duckett has not played a competitive game for a while, and Nissanka could just edge him to become Rahul’s partner.

Also, there is Prithvi Shaw waiting in the wings, and Abishek Porel can also open. Hence, apart from KL Rahul, the team has four other players who can open the innings, and as a result, the franchise has a positive headache heading into the upcoming campaign.

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