IPL 2026: ‘Didn’t even realise’ – KL Rahul on going past MS Dhoni record | CricTracker

Delhi Capitals’ wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul expressed his surprise at having gone past MS Dhoni’s run-tally in the IPL, after his blistering 152* off 67 balls against the Punjab Kings.

Rahul has scored 5580 runs in 153 matches at a strike rate of 138.39. In his mercurial knock at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on April 25, Rahul went past Dhoni’s tally of 5439 runs in his stellar IPL career.

“I didn’t even realise I had gone past Mahi bhai on the IPL’s all-time run-scorers list. Honestly, the milestone I would love to match with MS Dhoni is his five IPL trophies that he’s won with CSK,” he said on JioStar.

Rahul stated that despite having achieved much success with the bat from a personal standpoint, what he longs for is team success. He expressed his desire to win as many trophies as MS Dhoni. The wicketkeeper-batter has led the Chennai Super Kings to a record five IPL titles and two triumphs in the now-disbanded Champions League T20.

“When you have a long career, personal achievements do feel special. They tell you that your hard work and sacrifices have paid off. But at the end of the day, cricket is a team sport. You want to win trophies. You want to be part of successful sides. That has always been my goal. Every season, I give my best to win the IPL, no matter which team I play for. That matters the most to me. Personal milestones are good. They reassure me that I am on the right track. But what would truly make me happy is winning as many trophies as MS Dhoni,” he added.

Playing as an opener makes my life easier: KL Rahul

Rahul was signed by the Delhi Capitals for a whopping INR 14 crore in the Mega Auction before the 2025 season as the team’s marquee batter. He started the season in the middle order, before being pushed up to open in the later stages.

In 2026, he is the Capitals’ permanent opener. He spoke of the clarity provided by playing at the top, which helps him prepare a robust game plan on how to approach his innings.

“Playing as an opening batter for Delhi Capitals makes my life a bit easier. Knowing that this is where I am going to bat, and that it is a permanent position, helps me prepare better,” he said.

“Of course, nothing is truly permanent in a team sport. Sometimes you have to shift up or down the order and be flexible in your mindset. But walking into the season knowing that this is where I will mostly start helps me find a clear game plan. It gives me clarity on what I need to do this season, and that has really helped me. I have always batted at the top of the order, at least in T20 cricket and the IPL. It is a position where I have spent a lot of time, so I know how to manage my game. I understand what kind of process I need to follow to help the team. It is a very comfortable role for me. I am happy that I am at the top,” he added.

Rahul has scored 358 runs in the 2026 IPL at a whopping strike rate of 185.49. He has scored two half-centuries to go along with his mammoth 152* against the Punjab Kings.

Despite this, the Delhi Capitals have had a poor run in IPL 2026, sitting in seventh place with just three wins in eight games. They were beaten by the Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on April 27, who bowled them out for 75 and chased it down with relative ease.

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