KL Rahul Joins Delhi Capitals Ahead of IPL 2026 Season

India batter KL Rahul has officially joined the Delhi Capitals (DC) ahead of the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) season, with the franchise welcoming him at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. Delhi Capitals shared a video capturing Rahul’s arrival, in which he performed his now-famous Kantara-inspired celebration on the pitch, delighting fans and teammates alike.

Rahul’s iconic celebration traces back to a match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in his home state of Karnataka. After an aggressive unbeaten 93-run innings off 53 balls in a chase of 164, Rahul, usually reserved in the dressing room, was unusually animated—thumping his chest, pointing at the ground, and circling his bat on the pitch. He later revealed the celebration was inspired by the 2022 Kannada movie Kantara. Delhi Capitals captioned the video, “Ye tera ground hai, Rahul. Welcome back home,” referencing the memorable moment.

Last season, Rahul was in some of his most aggressive form in years, scoring 539 runs in 13 matches at an average of 53.90 and a strike rate nearing 150. His performance included a century and three fifties, making him DC’s top run-getter and the ninth-highest run-scorer overall. He also led the franchise in sixes, hitting 21 maximums.

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In his IPL career spanning 145 matches and 136 innings, Rahul has accumulated 5,222 runs, playing for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), Punjab Kings (PBKS), and now Delhi Capitals. He has maintained an average of 46.21 and a strike rate of 136.02, with five centuries and 40 fifties. Rahul was the Orange Cap winner in the 2020 season with PBKS, scoring 670 runs in 14 innings, including a century and five fifties.

Looking ahead, Rahul will aim to reach the 6,000-run milestone in the IPL, which would make him the fifth batter to achieve the feat after Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, and David Warner. Currently, he is the seventh-highest run-scorer in IPL history. His experience and form are expected to bolster Delhi Capitals’ batting lineup significantly.

Delhi Capitals will kick off their 2026 IPL campaign against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on April 1 in Lucknow, with Rahul set to be a key player in their pursuit of the title. Fans will be keenly watching to see if he can replicate his aggressive form and landmark achievements in the upcoming season.

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