File photo of KL Rahul© AFP
Former Indian cricket team batter Sanjay Manjrekar delivered a brutal verdict on KL Rahul‘s batting approach as Delhi Capitals slumped to a heavy loss against Chennai Super Kings. Rahul managed to score just 12 off 12 deliveries before he was dismissed by Akeal Hosein. Rahul tried to play an inside-out shot off the spinner but completely miscued it as Ruturaj Gaikwad completed an easy catch. Manjrekar said that Rahul getting dismissed so cheaply is almost like a ‘death warrant’ for his side and added that in a time where openers score at very high strike rates, Rahul cannot play a knock like 12 off 12 balls.
“It’s almost like odd and even games, where sometimes he goes after the bowling straightaway, which is the KL Rahul you want. But then he feels like he has earned the right and becomes responsible for the rest of the batters to come, and then plays an innings like that. Once you get out after getting to 12 off 12, you’ve signed the death warrant for your team. After those insipid first six overs, DC were done for the game,” Manjrekar said on Instagram.
“KL Rahul, after playing a brilliant innings in the previous match, got 12 off 12 balls in the first six overs. That’s two overs at a strike rate of 100. When you have openers going at 200, you can’t have an opener scoring 12 off 12 in the hope that he’ll explode later,” he added.
Rahul has been enjoying a good run of form in the ongoing IPL 2026 and he is third in the Orange Cap race. The veteran batter has slammed 445 runs in 10 matches at an average of 49.44 and a strike rate of 180.89. He has already scored one century and three half-centuries.
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