KL Rahul finished IPL 2026 with 593 runs, a strike-rate of 174.41 and, yet again, no winner’s medal. Delhi Capitals wound up sixth. For Ambati Rayudu, that feels unfair. “He deserves the trophy and hopefully he gets it [one day],” Rayudu sighed on ESPNcricinfo TimeOut.
Sunday at Eden Gardens summed the whole thing up. Delhi were already out, Kolkata still jostling for play-off spots. Rahul rattled 60 from 30, launching Cameron Green early on, then lifting Sunil Narine clean and straight – a six, a four, barely a follow-through. He reached fifty in 25 balls before holing out to Anukul Roy. Job done for him, not for the side.
Rayudu, a long-time admirer, couldn’t stop. “He was picking him [Narine] well and also some of the shots were exceptional. The straight hits that he played against Narine were, I think, some of the best shots that we have seen so far against Narine in the season. I don’t think anybody has taken on Narine as KL Rahul,” he said. “It looks like he takes on all the big bowlers in the IPL. He has taken on [Josh] Hazlewood, he has taken on Narine. He is a class player, and Delhi needs to give him a team that wins him an IPL trophy because he deserves it. He has been a fantastic batsman for any team that he has played for. So he deserves the trophy and hopefully he gets it soon.”
The numbers are hard to argue with. Since 2018 his lowest aggregate is 520; four times he has crossed 600; a peak of 670 in 2020. Critics used to point at tempo – until this season his strike-rate rarely crept beyond 140. In 2026 it sat at 174.41, the best of the top-ten run-scorers.
Mark Boucher, part of the commentary panel, reckons Delhi’s fate often hinges on Rahul getting through the first six overs unscathed. “This is the reason why we always say that it is so important for Delhi for him to get past the powerplay,” Boucher said. “You have a team like KKR, who have got the spin twins [Narine and Varun Chakravarthy] that have really made life very difficult for every other team after the powerplay. And you have a guy like KL who comes in there and he takes the game on and all of a sudden you look at their figures afterwards and they haven’t really had a big impact on the game [Narine went at 9.50 and Varun at 8.75].”
He continued, matter-of-fact. “Their [economy] rates are still eight-nine, but that is largely due to KL setting the momentum for those overs in the middle. That is what one quality batsman [can do]… He is not good, he is a very good player. That is what one quality batsman can do if he is in and he starts to dominate the proceedings.”
Rahul’s 2023 campaign was cut short by a right-thigh tear; he bounced back without fuss. This year he was fourth on the Orange Cap list when Delhi said their farewells. The overall picture is familiar: weight of runs, strike-rate finally silencing doubters, franchise nowhere near the parade.
Delhi have reached one final in 16 seasons. There is talk of auctions, trades, a ‘core’ rebuild. None of it guarantees silverware. For now, the conversation loops back to the bloke at the top of the order. Rayudu again: “He deserves the trophy and hopefully he gets it soon.” It’s becoming a chorus.
