New Delhi: Kuala Lumpur Rahul He has been in top form in IPL 2026. Wrist moves, flicks, no-look sixes, dancing down the track and firing the ball deep into mid-wicket – the game showcased every shot in his arsenal. Rahul is the highest run-scorer for Delhi Capitals this season and the second-highest scorer overall, with 433 points in 9 games at an average of 54.12 and a strike rate of 185.84. He also has a century and three half-centuries to his name.Ahead of IPL 2026, Delhi Capitals and chennai super kings Speaking at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, Rahul admitted that he has “never been rated as a T20 player” and is often labeled as a Test specialist.Speaking on JioStar’s ‘Superstar’ show, Rahul explained how he transcended the tag of a Test player and became an all-round cricketer.“I would have given anything to be part of the T20 team 10 years ago. I was never rated as a T20 player or even considered a good white-ball player; I was tagged as a Test player. So, breaking that mold, developing my white-ball game and getting to this point, I’m really proud of,” KL Rahul said.“I made mistakes along the way and there were things I could have done better. But, I’m proud that every time I played I gave it my best effort and prepared as best I could to give myself the best chance to succeed. That’s sports; things aren’t always going to go your way. You have to take it in your stride and enjoy the ride. Win or lose, I always try to stay balanced. Whenever I get frustrated with what I didn’t accomplish, I remind myself of what I have and it gives me perspective. I still have some time. So, I will continue to do my best and see how many trophies I can win. ” he said.Rahul was also in great form last year. He played 13 games in IPL 2025 and scored 539 runs at an average of 53.90 and a strike rate of 149.72.“T20 cricket has grown over the last two-three years, especially in the IPL. You can see the pattern of teams winning, and in recent times, teams that win the Powerplay often go on to win the match. A few years ago, matches were usually decided between the 14th and 20th overs. The Powerplay has always been important, but now it carries more weight,” KL Rahul said.“For me personally, it’s something that I have to adapt for the team. This season, the message from the team management has been very clear. They spoke to me before the IPL and wanted me to be high up in the order and play freely. The team’s target is to reach 60-plus points at this stage. With that clarity, I have time to think about how to achieve that within my skill set. I try to go into every game with that intention. You won’t always succeed, but the idea is right. My focus is on maximizing the Powerplay as that is the need of the team and T20 cricket now,” he said.
