KL Rahul Emerges as Delhi Capitals' Indispensable Anchor for IPL 2026

As the IPL 2026 season approaches, the retention plans of various franchises are under the spotlight. Former India cricketer Suresh Raina believes that KL Rahul, who joined Delhi Capitals before the IPL 2025 season, has emerged as the "backbone" of the team, making it highly unlikely that the franchise will release him ahead of the upcoming retention deadline.

Rahul has been one of the standout performers this season, scoring 539 runs in 13 innings at a strike rate close to 150, including a century and three fifties. Raina emphasized that Rahul's dual role as a wicketkeeper-batter makes him indispensable for the franchise. Additionally, Axar Patel's impressive form in T20Is and ODIs over the last few years has also been a positive for Delhi Capitals.

On the other hand, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) faces some tough decisions regarding their retention plans. JioStar expert Irfan Pathan highlighted the underwhelming performance of Liam Livingstone, who scored only 112 runs at a strike rate of 133 in 10 matches, despite being bought for a hefty price. Pathan also noted that financial considerations may force RCB to rethink Rasikh Salam's position, as his price tag of 6 crores may be a concern.

Raina, however, believes that RCB is largely settled heading into the 2026 season, with their bowling unit and batting lineup performing well in the previous season. He suggests that the team may only need to add a spinner to complement Krunal Pandya.

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), who started strongly last season before fading midway, are also reassessing their middle order and bowling attack. Raina highlighted the need for stability in the middle order, while Matthew Hayden pointed to the bowling unit as a key area requiring overhaul, with the team needing to find good bowlers with variations to suit the batting-friendly pitch in Hyderabad.