New Delhi, April 9: KL Rahul, the opener for Delhi Capitals, scored an impressive 92 runs against Gujarat Titans in the 14th match of IPL 2026 on Wednesday. His innings came off 52 balls and included 4 sixes and 11 fours. Despite his consistent performance in the IPL, Rahul has not been included in India’s T20 team since November 2022.
In his IPL career, Rahul has played 148 matches, amassing 5,315 runs at an average of 45.81, which includes 5 centuries and 41 half-centuries.
Rahul has represented five teams in the IPL. He was first picked by Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) for IPL 2013, where he scored only 20 runs in 2 innings across 5 matches. He then moved to Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).
In IPL 2014, Rahul scored 166 runs at an average of 20.75 in 11 matches, followed by 142 runs in 9 matches in 2015. In 2016, he joined RCB again, scoring 397 runs at an average of 44.11.
In 2018, Punjab Kings acquired him, and he quickly made a name for himself. In his debut season with Punjab, he scored 659 runs at an average of 54.91 over 14 matches.
In IPL 2019, he scored 593 runs at an average of 53.90, including 1 century and 6 half-centuries. The following season, he maintained his form with 670 runs at an average of 55.83, featuring 1 century and 5 half-centuries.
During this period, fans began to see him as a potential future captain for India’s T20 team. In IPL 2021, he scored 626 runs at an impressive average of 62.60, including a top score of 98 not out. In 2022, while playing for Lucknow Super Giants, he scored 616 runs, including 2 centuries and 4 half-centuries.
In 2022, Rahul played 16 T20 matches for India, scoring 434 runs at an average of 28.93, which included 6 half-centuries. He managed to score half-centuries against Bangladesh and Zimbabwe during the T20 World Cup 2022 but has not been called up to the T20 team since.
Despite this, Rahul has continued to showcase his talent in the IPL. In IPL 2023, he scored 274 runs at an average of 34.25 over 9 matches. The following year, he scored 520 runs at an average of 37.14 in 14 matches. In IPL 2025, he scored 539 runs at an average of 53.90, including a high score of 112 not out, yet he was overlooked for the T20 World Cup 2026.
His exclusion from the World Cup team sparked discussions. BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar emphasized the need for a reliable middle-order batsman. Rishabh Pant was seen as a dependable option, while Sanju Samson was considered a proven asset. Ultimately, Samson was selected for the 15-member team and proved his worth by becoming the ‘Player of the Tournament.’
Agarkar stated during a press conference, “KL Rahul is opening in the IPL. We were primarily looking for options in the middle order. Hence, we felt that Samson and Pant were better choices. Samson can bat anywhere in the order. It was about our needs, not about who is better.”
Although Rahul has not been part of the T20 team since November 2022, he has retained his place in the Test and ODI formats. Last year, he scored three centuries in Tests and continued to shine in ODIs, notably scoring an unbeaten 112 against New Zealand in January 2026.
Looking at his international performance, Rahul has scored 4,053 runs in 67 Test matches at an average of 35.86, while in 94 ODIs, he has accumulated 3,360 runs. In 72 T20 matches, he has scored 2,265 runs.
With wicketkeeper-batsmen like Rishabh Pant, Ishan Kishan, and Sanju Samson competing for spots, it seems challenging for Rahul to secure a place in India’s T20 team. However, this IPL season presents him with another opportunity to prove himself for international T20 cricket.
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