IPL 2026: KL Rahul ditches the anchor tag, scripts masterclass in modern T20 batting
KL Rahul showcased a masterclass in calculated authority, scoring an unbeaten 152 off 67 balls for Delhi Capitals. This monumental innings, the highest individual T20 score by an Indian, marked a conscious shedding of old habits and a commitment to early aggression, a transformation he has been working on for a long time.
NEW DELHI: For the longest time, KL Rahul’s T20 career has resembled a man dragging a heavy suitcase. Stuffed inside were the perennial anxieties of strike-rates, the exhausting demands of batting deep, and the archaic, heavy tag of being the “anchor”. On Saturday, at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Rahul simply set the suitcase aside.
What followed was a masterclass in calculated authority. Opening the innings for Delhi Capitals against Punjab Kings, Rahul batted through all 20 overs, remaining unbeaten on a staggering 152 off 67 balls. It was Rahul completely unburdened, accessing all parts of the ground not with reckless abandon but with aggressive clarity.
In surging past 150, he etched his name into the annals of the format, registering the highest individual T20 score by an Indian and the third highest in IPL history, trailing only Chris Gayle (175*) and Brendon McCullum (158*). This wasn’t an overnight metamorphosis; it was a conscious, arduous shedding of old habits. “I was very pleased at the end of the first 20 overs,” Rahul said.
“It’s something that I’ve been working on for a very long time behind the scenes. ” — DelhiCapitals (@DelhiCapitals) The realization that the T20 format had mutated while he was playing classical notes hit him hard. The game had moved on and Rahul knew he had to catch the train.