After a brief paternity leave, K.L Rahul is set to make his much-anticipated debut for Delhi Capitals as they take on Sunrisers Hyderabad in their IPL 2025 clash on Sunday.
The star batter, who played a pivotal role in India's ICC T20 World Cup and Champions Trophy victories, missed Delhi's thrilling one-wicket win over Lucknow Super Giants in the season opener. His return adds significant firepower to the Capitals’ lineup and brings a wealth of experience to their title ambitions.
KL Rahul is back with the team, and having him in the squad brings a lot of balance, given the incredible ability he possesses. His presence will definitely boost our confidence.
Rahul’s move to Delhi Capitals follows a turbulent exit from Lucknow Super Giants, marked by a controversial on-field reprimand from team owner Sanjeev Goenka. Now, with a fresh start, Rahul will be eager to silence critics and let his bat do the talking.
The Capitals’ management is expected to slot Rahul into a key batting role. With his adaptability and game awareness, he could be the anchor Delhi needs to navigate high-pressure situations.
The Capitals’ management is expected to slot Rahul into a key batting role. With his adaptability and game awareness, he could be the anchor Delhi needs to navigate high-pressure situations.
Rahul’s Impact and DC’s Momentum
Delhi Capitals’ confidence is soaring after their sensational chase against LSG. Reduced to 113/6 in the 13th over while chasing a stiff target of 210, debutant Nigam and Ashutosh Sharma engineered a match-winning 55-run partnership. Nigam's blistering 39 off 15 balls was instrumental in the comeback.
My job was to make things easy for Ashutosh. I managed to hit some shots early, which allowed him time to settle. It was about staying calm and sticking to our plans.
While Nigam and Ashutosh grabbed the headlines, the spotlight will now shift to Rahul. The seasoned batter, known for his elegant strokeplay and composure, has a knack for delivering when it matters most. His addition will offer stability to the middle order while providing flexibility in the top four.
SRH’s Challenge and Key Threats
Sunrisers Hyderabad started their campaign on a high, registering a massive 286/6 against Rajasthan Royals, the second-highest total in IPL history. However, they faltered against LSG, exposing some vulnerabilities in their lineup.
SRH is a very good team with a strong batting lineup. But we have made some plans for them during our team meetings and will try to execute that.
The onus will be on Ishan Kishan, who has been in explosive form, alongside Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma to provide Hyderabad a solid start. The experienced Pat Cummins and Mohammed Shami will spearhead their bowling attack.
Delhi will also be wary of the SRH middle order, bolstered by Heinrich Klaasen's power-hitting. On the bowling front, the presence of Adam Zampa and Harshal Patel could pose significant challenges.
Head-to-Head and Venue Advantage
Delhi Capitals will aim to leverage their familiarity with the conditions at the Dr. YS Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium. Historically, the Capitals have a slight edge in recent encounters, leading 3-2 in the last five matches. However, SRH claimed victory in the last two clashes.
Overall, in 24 head-to-head matchups, SRH holds a narrow advantage with 13 wins to Delhi's 11. With Rahul back and the team buoyed by their opening win, Delhi Capitals will look to tip the scales in their favour.
The clash promises to be a thrilling encounter with Rahul’s return adding another layer of intrigue. Can Delhi Capitals build on their momentum, or will Sunrisers Hyderabad bounce back? All eyes will be on Rahul as he takes centre stage in Vizag on Sunday.
Probable Playing XIs: Delhi Capitals: Jake Fraser-McGurk, Faf du Plessis, Abishek Porel (wk), KL Rahul, Axar Patel (capt), Tristan Stubbs, Ashutosh Sharma, Vipraj Nigam, Mitchell Starc, Kuldeep Yadav, Mukesh Kumar.
Sunrisers Hyderabad: Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Aniket Verma, Abhinav Manohar, Pat Cummins, Harshal Patel, Mohammed Shami, Simarjeet Singh, Adam Zampa.
