KL Rahul scored his third half-century of the season on Tuesday night during Delhi Capitals’ (DC) victory over Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), marking another significant contribution to his tally of 323 runs in seven innings. Rahul, who missed the beginning of the season due to the birth of his child, is DC’s highest run-scorer this season. His 42-ball 57 was a match-winning performance, showcasing his skill as one of India’s most dangerous T20 batters.
With an average of nearly 65, Rahul has made a remarkable transition to DC in his first season with the franchise. Cheteshwar Pujara, reflecting on Rahul’s IPL 2025 form, praised his maturity and focus on leaving behind the “baggage” from his time with LSG.
“Just move on, don’t carry any baggage from the past,” Pujara said during ESPNcricinfo’s TimeOut. “KL is a mature player. The last couple of years, he’s been batting well across formats. He doesn’t want to think about the past and wants to enjoy his batting and stay in his zone.”
Pujara also acknowledged that Rahul looks much more mature this season and has developed a deeper understanding of his game, which has contributed to his success.
In the match on Tuesday, after LSG posted 159/6, Rahul came in at 36/1 in the fourth over. Despite starting slowly and being 19 off 20 balls at the tenth over, Rahul capitalized on the situation, hitting two sixes in consecutive overs off Ravi Bishnoi and Aiden Markram. He reached his fifty off 40 balls and finished the game with a third six.
“Captaincy can do funny things to you – sometimes you thrive on it, sometimes it becomes a burden,” Knight said. “Whether that’s the case with Rahul, not having to be captain now, maybe he’s just playing freely and relaxed.”
Pujara also praised Mukesh Kumar‘s bowling performance, especially his 4/33, which restricted LSG to a modest total. He highlighted a key moment in the game when Mukesh executed a perfect yorker to dismiss Mitchell Marsh.
Knight also commended Axar Patel for his excellent captaincy and tactical decisions. Axar had used his bowlers effectively, especially with his innovative decision to open the bowling with himself. Knight noted that Axar’s bowling changes and overall leadership were crucial in keeping LSG’s batters in check.
“Axar actually had a good game,” Knight said. “I thought it was innovative to open the bowling with him. His decisions were very impactful in the middle overs.”
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