The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season will mark a fresh start for KL Rahul in the cash-rich tournament as he will link up with the Delhi Capitals (DC).

The Capitals roped in Rahul for INR 14 crore at the mega-auction last November, following his release from Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). During his three-year tenure at LSG, the wicketkeeper-batter faced a lot of criticism for inconsistent performances and strike rate.

Rahul finds himself in unfamiliar territory this time around in the IPL, moving away from his long-standing role as a captain.

Now, a report published in TOI claims that Rahul’s batting order will also change in the 18th edition of the IPL.

According to the report, DC will slot the 32-year-old into a middle-order role. Delhi’s batting line-up will feature Jake Fraser-McGurk, Faf du Plessis, and Abhishek Porel at the top, while Rahul will be deployed lower down to provide stability and experience.

The decision seems to be heavily influenced by Harry Brook’s withdrawal from the competition.

“After Harry Brook's decision to withdraw from the league, DC wanted a right-handed batter in the middle order, and Rahul fits the bill,” the report stated.

The Capitals have entrusted Axar Patel for the leadership role, with Faf du Plessis being named his deputy.

Some reports also suggest that Rahul was approached for captaincy but he declined the offer, choosing instead to focus on his batting.

KL Rahul’s exposure as a middle-order batter in the IPL is limited. During the IPL 2016 season, he played a crucial role in the middle order, helping RCB reach the final. He has played 33 matches outside the opening slot, scoring 500 runs at an average of 29.41 and a strike rate of 117.92.

Overall, Rahul has 4,683 runs to his name in the IPL from 123 innings at an average of 45.46 and a strike rate of 134.60.