Suresh Raina says KL Rahul is Delhi Capitals’ backbone, so the franchise shouldn’t drop him before the IPL 2026 retention deadline.
Rahul, who joined Delhi for IPL 2025, has been one of the league’s brightest stars. He scored 539 runs in 13 innings at a strike rate near 150, including a century and three fifties. The run‑getter also doubles as a wicket‑keeper, giving the team more value than most franchises realize.
“Rahul fetched a good price in the last auction and performed exceptionally,” Raina told . “He gives Delhi a solid bat and a keeper. He’s the backbone of the team. Even Axar has played brilliantly in T20Is and ODIs lately, so Rahul should stay. The only big question is whether Delhi keeps Faf du Plessis.”
While Delhi’s choices look clear, RCB faces tougher decisions, says former cricketer Irfan Pathan. The Bangalore outfit paid a hefty sum for Liam Livingstone, but he managed only 112 runs in 10 matches at a 133 strike rate – below expectations.
Pathan added that RCB could consider releasing bowler Rasikh Salam to save money. “Salam’s price is 6 crores. RCB could re‑auction him and try to buy him at a lower price. We need a good middle‑over bowler,” he explained.
Raina believes RCB will make few changes. “Their bowlers were great last season, and the batters were solid too,” he said. “The new IPL champions felt the squad was good. They’ll stick with the core, maybe add a spinner to support Krunal Pandya.”
Sunrisers Hyderabad also face a review after a shaky middle of the season. Raina highlighted the need for a steady middle‑order batter. “Ishan Kishan did well early, but the team needs a reliable run‑getter in the middle. Players like Heinrich Klaasen help, but Nitish Kumar Reddy must step up. The owners rely heavily on him.”
Matthew Hayden focused on SRH’s bowling. “The big issue is the attack. This pitch at Hyderabad is a pure batting surface, so we need fast bowlers with variations,” he said. “They may look to release Mohammed Shami, Abhinav Manohar, and Rahul Chahar, then target new fast bowlers in the mini‑auction.”
With 2026 on the horizon, all teams will fine‑tune squads, but Delhi Capitals, Royal Challengers Bangalore, and Sunrisers Hyderabad have clear priorities for the upcoming IPL auctions.
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