As the IPL 2026 retention deadline nears, former India batter Suresh Raina believes the Delhi Capitals would be unwise to part ways with their star opener and wicketkeeper, KL Rahul.
The retention deadline is set for Saturday, a it could trigger a wave of reshuffles across franchises, but Raina insists that Rahul shouldn’t be on the move.
Reports have linked Kolkata Knight Riders with a strong interest in luring Rahul to Eden. But the stylish right-hander, who cost DC a hefty Rs 14 crore last season, stitched together an impressive campaign with 539 runs at an average of 53.90 and a strike rate touching 150.
"I don't think KL Rahul will leave Delhi Capitals. He got a good price in the last auction and performed really well. As a batter in T20 cricket, he gives you both a solid batter and a wicketkeeper. I don't think Rahul will leave Delhi; he's the backbone of the team," Raina told JioHotstar.
The former CSK stalwart also noted that Axar Patel’s consistency over recent years positions him as a natural leader within the DC core. But the trickier decision, according to Raina, concerns veteran opener Faf du Plessis, who endured a lean run with just 202 runs from nine games.
Switching focus to Sunrisers Hyderabad, Raina felt their concerns sit squarely in the middle order. While young gun Aniket Verma enjoyed a breakout season with 236 runs at a blistering strike rate of 166.20, the team lacked a stabilising presence between the top and lower order. Ishan Kishan, despite bookending his season with centuries, struggled for consistency, adding to the uncertainty.
"SRH need a sensible middle-order batter… Nitish Kumar Reddy will have to improve his performance because the team and the owners are banking on him a lot," Raina said.
But former Australia opener Matthew Hayden sees the problem elsewhere. For him, SRH’s real weakness is its bowling attack, particularly on a flat Hyderabad wicket that offers little margin for error.
With rumours swirling that Mohammed Shami may be traded to the Lucknow Super Giants, Hayden believes SRH must reload aggressively in the mini-auction.
"The big problem for SRH is their bowling attack… They’ll be on the hunt in the mini-auction for fast bowlers who have variations. They will need such bowlers on that track because it's a pure batting pitch" Hayden said.
© 2025