KL Rahul urged to ‘ask for release’ if Rishabh Pant comes back to Delhi Capitals: ‘Go to auction’

Wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul urged to leave the Delhi Capitals if Rishabh Pant comes back to the Delhi Capitals.

Updated on: Jun 20, 2026, 10:49:24 IST

Written by Vishesh Roy

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

The decks are all but cleared for Rishabh Pant's homecoming at the Delhi Capitals. The wicketkeeper-batter, who spent two seasons at the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), is all but certain to play for the Delhi franchise from the 2027 Indian Premier League (IPL) 2027 season. A blockbuster trade is in the offing with Pant joining Delhi and Kuldeep Yadav going to the Lucknow Super Giants. It has been reliably learnt that the deal is almost done, and the official paperwork is with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

KL Rahul urged to leave Delhi Capitals. (REUTERS)

As Pant gears up to once again play for the Delhi franchise, wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul has been urged to leave the franchise and head into the auction pool. Former India and Karnataka pacer Dodda Ganesh feels Rahul should ask for his release from the franchise if Pant is to make his way back.

Also Read: INR 14.28 Crore vs INR 1.47 Crore: Why Pant-Kuldeep trade is not equal, but still makes brutal sense

“KL Rahul should ask for release and go to the auction if Pant comes back,” Ganesh wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

Both Pant and Rahul had contrasting IPL 2026 seasons. While both Delhi and Lucknow failed to make the playoffs, the batters had two very different seasons. Pant, who joined LSG for INR 27 crore, managed just 312 runs for the team in the IPL 2026 season. Under his captaincy, the franchise finished at the bottom of the points table, and once the tournament concluded, Pant stepped down as captain.

On the other hand, Rahul smashed 593 runs in 14 matches at a strike rate of 174.41, with his highest score being 152 not out against the Punjab Kings at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.

Yuvraj set to join Delhi

Former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh, who was a key part of the 2007 T20 World Cup and 2011 World Cup-winning squads, is also all set to join the Delhi franchise as a coaching staff member. It is worth noting that Pant had worked closely with Yuvraj before the start of the IPL 2026 season.

Speaking of Pant, he spent nine seasons at Delhi, playing 111 matches between 2016 and 2024. He also led the franchise in 43 matches across three seasons before being released ahead of the 2025 mega auction.

With JSW back at the helm of management of the Delhi franchise, former India captain and current Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) President Sourav Ganguly will return to the side as head of cricketing affairs.

It is unlikely that there will be any role for Hemang Badani, the head coach of the side for the last two seasons. In the IPL 2026 season, Delhi finished sixth in the points table.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Vishesh Roy
Vishesh Roy is a sports journalist with a strong focus on cricket. He began his career at Asian News International (ANI), where he covered a range of high-profile events, including the India Open, Legends Cricket League, the England–India Test series in Ahmedabad in 2021, and the inauguration of the Narendra Modi Stadium. During his tenure at ANI, he also reported extensively on domestic cricket, covering several Ranji Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy matches across the country. While cricket remains his primary beat, Vishesh has also reported on tennis, football and WWE. After a stint of over three years at ANI, Vishesh moved to NDTV, where he gained hands-on experience in digital-first journalism, with a particular emphasis on live blogs and real-time news reporting. He joined Hindustan Times in October 2024 and quickly established himself with a series of exclusive interviews and source-driven stories. Ahead of the IPL 2025 auction, Hindustan Times was the first to report that the two-day event would be held in Saudi Arabia. In the early months of his tenure, Vishesh secured interviews with leading cricketers, including Pat Cummins, Shreyas Iyer, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Rashid Latif. He has also closely tracked the rise of emerging talents such as Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Priyansh Arya by speaking to their current and childhood coaches. His background in on-field reporting has helped Hindustan Times Digital break exclusive stories on major developments, including Virat Kohli’s return to the Ranji and Vijay Hazare Trophy, IPL scheduling, and the T20 World Cup controversy involving Bangladesh and Pakistan.Read More

Get live cricket scores, match updates, schedules, results and ICC rankings. Follow the latest news, statistics and performances of top teams and players on Hindustan Times.