In the rapidly evolving world of T20 cricket — where strike rates and boundary percentages have soared — K.L. Rahul (left facing) has often appeared a reluctant participant.
But in the ongoing Indian Premier League season, the Karnataka batter has found a way to break free from the mental shackles that previously held him back, thriving in a fresh middle-order role for Delhi Capitals (DC).
In 10 matches in IPL 2025, Rahul has amassed 381 runs at an average of 47.63 and a seven-year-high strike rate of 142.16. His resurgence is not merely the result of a positional tweak or mental switch — it reflects a fundamental shift in his batting approach.
A comparison of Rahul’s run-scoring zones across the last four IPL seasons highlights the change. Formerly a predominantly offside player, he has reduced the proportion of runs scored in that region to just 17.8% this season. That’s a sharp drop from 38.2% in the ‘Offside V’ — between third man and extra cover — in 2024.
DC’s clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium showcased Rahul’s remodelled game. Thrust into the PowerPlay after early wickets, the wicketkeeper-batter collected the bulk of his runs down the ground during the six-over phase. He continued to target the straight boundaries effectively during the middle overs, particularly against spin. His unbeaten 93 — 27 of which came in the ‘Straight V’ — helped his side chase the target with two overs to spare.
“Something I have always done with my preparation is try to adapt to different wickets. I experiment in practice and get out a couple of times, but it gives me a fair idea of the areas I can target — where I can take singles and hit sixes,” Rahul said after his match-winning knock.
“I knew what my pockets were. If I wanted to hit a big six, I knew which pockets to target. And keeping gave me a feel for where other batters were getting out and where they were hitting their sixes,” he added.
Rahul’s earlier stints at the top of the order with Punjab Kings and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) were defined by a strong offside game, featuring elegant drives on deliveries outside off. In his three years with LSG, more than 60% of his drives came through the Offside V. But that method proved risky — eight of his 14 dismissals in IPL 2024 occurred in that same region.
Now operating primarily outside the PowerPlay, Rahul has retooled his game, shifting his driving focus between long-on and long-off. For DC this year, 70.5% of runs from drives have come in the ‘Straight V’ — nearly double the tally from the same zone last season. Correspondingly, his offside scoring has dropped to 25.4% from 62.4% in 2024.
Restricting a batter’s scoring zones typically leads to a temporary dip in strike rate. Rahul, however, has bucked that trend. His IPL 2025 strike rate on deliveries outside off-stump is 154.36 — markedly higher than the previous three seasons, none of which saw him cross the 140 mark.
A major contributor to this improvement is his boundary percentage. In 2024, only 17.31% of his shots went to the fence; this season, that figure has risen to 20.8%. Rahul has also improved his running between the wickets — his dot ball percentage outside off has dropped from 32.4 to 29.5.
The most significant development, though, has been in Rahul’s dismissals. In IPL 2025, he has been dismissed on the offside just once on deliveries outside off-stump. His average in that category has soared to 76.6, compared to a dismal 26.83 last year.
Since making his IPL debut in 2013, following two standout domestic seasons, Rahul has long carried the tag of being Indian cricket’s “next big thing.” But over the past 12 years, his T20 journey has been anything but straightforward. Despite 72 caps for India, Rahul the T20 batter has remained an enigma.
Multiple 600-run IPL seasons couldn’t cement his place in the national side.
His last appearance in Indian colours came in the 2022 T20 World Cup semifinal loss to England. That India exile coincided with a strained stint at LSG. But more than two years after that night in Adelaide and following a reshuffle at the IPL mega auction, Rahul seems to have found himself again.
With DC locked in a playoff battle, Rahul’s new-found middle-order clarity could be crucial as the franchise chases its first final since 2020. And with his contemporaries struggling in the shortest format, the door to the national team may not be closed just yet.