IPL 2025: KL Rahul Credits Abhishek Nayar for Rediscovering Joy in White-Ball Cricket
KL Rahul played a match-winning knock of 77 off 51 balls to guide Delhi Capitals (DC) to a 25-run victory over Chennai Super Kings (CSK), sending DC to the top of the IPL 2025 points table.
Chennai: KL Rahul played a match-winning knock of 77 off 51 balls to guide Delhi Capitals (DC) to a 25-run victory over Chennai Super Kings (CSK), sending DC to the top of the IPL 2025 points table. After the game, Rahul credited assistant coach Abhishek Nayar for helping him rediscover his joy and confidence in white-ball cricket.
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Rahul’s Impactful Knock Ends 15-Year Winless Streak in Chennai
Opening the batting in place of the unfit Faf du Plessis on a dry MA Chidambaram Stadium pitch, Rahul showed patience and power. Starting slow with 25 off 20 balls, he quickly shifted gears, smashing 36 off the next 18 deliveries and finishing on 77 off 51, with six fours and three sixes.
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His calculated assault, particularly against CSK’s key bowler Noor Ahmad, helped DC post 183/6. The total proved sufficient, sealing their first win in Chennai in 15 years and maintaining an unbeaten run in the tournament.
Working With Abhishek Nayar Brought the Fun Back
Speaking with DC mentor Kevin Pietersen in a post-match video chat on IPLT20.com, Rahul reflected on his recent resurgence.
“I’ve worked really hard on my white-ball game in the last year or so. Big shoutout to Abhishek Nayar. Ever since he’s joined the Indian team setup, we’ve spent countless hours working on my white-ball game, especially in Bombay. Somewhere in that process, I found the fun in playing white-ball cricket again.”
From Paternity Leave to Peak Performanc
Rahul had missed DC’s opening game due to paternity leave. On his return against Sunrisers Hyderabad, he showed glimpses of aggression with a five-ball 15. But it was against CSK that he truly exploded, delivering a performance that signaled his full return.
Tactical Mindset and Mid-Innings Adjustment
Reflecting on his innings, Rahul said he initially felt like he had left 15-20 runs out there but found momentum mid-way:
“At the halfway mark, I told you I’d look to hit the pockets. I was still looking for boundaries, but the timing was off. A short break helped, and once I got one out of the middle, things started to flow.”
From Finisher in Champions Trophy to Boundary Hunter in IPL
Rahul entered IPL 2025 fresh off a strong showing in India’s victorious Champions Trophy campaign, where he excelled as a finisher with 140 runs at a strike rate of 97.90, remaining not out in three innings.
This shift in mindset appears to have carried into the IPL, but with a new aggressive twist.
Embracing the Modern T20 Approach
Rahul concluded by sharing a key learning about adapting to the demands of modern-day T20 cricket:
“I think I lost the fun of hitting boundaries. I used to focus on taking the game deep, but now I realise cricket has changed. T20 is about hitting boundaries and sixes. The team that hits more boundaries usually wins. I’m going back to enjoying the game, being aggressive, and putting pressure on the opposition.”
