2 min readUpdated: May 5, 2026 04:58 PM IST
KL Rahul seems to have turned a corner with regards to his approach to batting in T20 cricket in the ongoing season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The Delhi Capitals star has scored 433 runs in nine matches but it is his strike rate of 185.84 that stands out. The highest strike rate that he has finished with in his previous seasons in the IPL is 158.41 in 2018 and Rahul has often been heavily criticised for seemingly failing to keep up with the big-hitting standards of the day in T20 cricket.
Rahul, who opens the batting for the Delhi Capitals, said that his changed approach this season is reflective of the way T20 cricket itself has transformed in recent years. “T20 cricket has evolved over the last two or three years, especially in the IPL. You can see patterns in how teams are winning, and recently, teams that win the Powerplay often go on to win the game. A few years ago, games were usually decided between the 14th and 20th overs. The Powerplay was always important, but now it carries even more weight,” KL Rahul said in JioStar.
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Rahul said that the DC team management told him clearly that they want to maximise the runs they can get in the powerplay, for which he will be given the freedom to go on the attack all the way through. “For me, personally, it’s something I’ve had to adapt to for the team. This season, the messaging from the team management was very clear. They spoke to me before the IPL and wanted me to bat at the top of the order and play with freedom. Teams are aiming for upwards of 60 in that phase. Having that clarity gave me time to think about how to achieve it within my skill set. I’ve tried to go out each game with that intent. You won’t always succeed, but the idea is right. My focus is on maximising the Powerplay, because that’s the demand of the team and of T20 cricket right now,” he said.
