'Coaches, captains are constantly being asked a lot of questions. It almost, after a point, feels like you are being questioned as to "Why did you make this change? Why did he play in the XI? Why is it that the opposition got 200 and we couldn't even get 120? Why are their bowlers getting more spin?"'
'These are questions that we never get asked throughout the year, right? Because the coaches who are there know what's going on. You are only answerable to the coaches and the selectors, who have all played cricket and understand the nuances of the game.'
K L Rahul has offered one of his most candid reflections yet on the pressures of the IPL, revealing that the demands of captaincy in the league, particularly constant questioning from franchise owners, leave him more exhausted than a full year of international cricket.
Speaking to Jatin Sapru for Humans of Bombay, Rahul explained that leadership scrutiny in the IPL is unlike anything he has experienced with India, where decision-makers understand the game intimately.
Rahul's captaincy stint with the Lucknow Super Giants was particularly turbulent. Although LSG made the playoffs in the first two seasons, their seventh-place finish in IPL 2024 triggered heavy criticism.
One heated mid-match discussion between Rahul and LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka became one of the most talked-about images of the season.
After 2024, Rahul parted ways with LSG and moved to Delhi Capitals for Rs 14 crore (Rs 140 million) at the 2025 mega auction, this time without taking on the captaincy, as Axar Patel continued as DC skipper.
'What I found hard as a captain in the IPL was the number of meetings that you needed to do, the number of reviews that you needed to do and explain at the ownership level. I realised that at the end of IPL, I am more mentally and physically drained than playing 10 months of international cricket,' Rahul said.
'Coaches, captains are constantly being asked a lot of questions. It almost, after a point, feels like you are being questioned as to "Why did you make this change? Why did he play in the XI? Why is it that the opposition got 200 and we couldn't even get 120? Why are their bowlers getting more spin?"'
'These are questions that we never get asked throughout the year, right? Because the coaches who are there know what's going on. You are only answerable to the coaches and the selectors, who have all played cricket and understand the nuances of the game.
'No matter what you do, no matter how many boxes you tick, there's nothing in sport that guarantees victory. So, that's hard to explain to people who come from a non-sporting background.'
Rahul clarified that IPL pressure comes from the league's structure and intensity rather than any lack of commitment from players.
'Pressure increases. Expectations increase. I think that is all manageable, because we are used to it. We, as cricketers, can never run away from all that. What makes IPL hard is the number of games we play in a two-month period. There's always a new team member coming in... different cultures, different parts of the world.'
He highlighted the challenges of building chemistry quickly, especially when commercial shoots, travel, and back-to-back matches dominate the short window.
'Sometimes, those two months fly away before we even get to know our teammates fully. Sometimes, the tough part of playing the IPL is everything needs to happen really fast... While all this is happening, there is expectation to perform and win the game.'
Rahul stressed that commitment is never in question. 'I don't think any player in the league goes out thinking, 'Oh, it's okay if we don't win this game or if I give only 50 percent. I bet you and guarantee you that nobody thinks like this.'
Rahul's comments triggered widespread speculation that he was indirectly referring to his time at LSG and his interactions with Sanjiv Goenka. Social media quickly picked up on the perceived subtext, with fans convinced his remarks were aimed at the franchise and its owner.
Rahul has been retained by Delhi Capitals for the IPL 2026 season despite speculation about a move to Kolkata Knight Riders. DC Head Coach Hemang Badani confirmed that the franchise never considered trading him.
© 2025