KL Rahul of Delhi Capitals during a training session in Bengaluru. (PTI Photo) BENGALURU: When KL Rahul walked into the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Friday night, it was with his usual swagger – but also a quiet sense of homecoming. From security staff to ground staff, familiar faces stopped by to greet the home star, who received them with a smile. After all, this place remains a second home for the Delhi Capitals senior. It is where he has honed his craft and where he will be hoping to rediscover his rhythm after a stop-start campaign so far.Against his former team, Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Saturday afternoon, Rahul will be keen to make the most of the familiar conditions. After a prolific 2025 season in which he amassed 539 runs, the classy opener has managed just 111 in his four outings this year, with a top score of 92 against Gujarat Titans. Few can dispute his pedigree, but consistency eluded him. However, RCB know better than most how dangerous Rahul can be if he settles down.
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Bombay Sport Exchange: Munaf Patel on Gautam Gambhir, Virat vs Bumrah and Indian bowling. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SIGN UP NOW!At a place where 200-plus totals have become the norm, Delhi Capitals will be desperate for a turnaround. But the bigger challenge lies in stopping the rampaging RCB unit that has made Chinnaswamy a fortress this season.The surface here can be unforgiving for errant pitchers, and the Capitals will need significant improvement from their offense. Captain Axar Patel and his counterpart Kuldeep Yadav are yet to find their rhythm while the pace unit has lacked continuity. Auqib Nabi, who has enjoyed a breakthrough domestic season, has made just one appearance, with Lungi Ngidi, Mukesh Kumar and T Natarajan the preferred options so far. On ground where variation and execution are key, this inconsistency could add up.READ ALSO: Impact role again on the cards for Virat Kohli?Matches are not limited to bowling. Apart from the promising Sameer Rizvi, the batting line-up lacked stability. Experienced batsmen like David Miller, Pathum Nissanka, Nitish Rana and Tristan Stubbs all blew hot and cold, leaving the side looking for a concerted effort. However, the guests had time to regroup. They arrived early in the city from Chennai and pitched in the hard yards at the BCCI Center of Excellence.It took more than a decade for RCB to turn Chinnaswamy into a fortress. They have been almost flawless this season, winning all three home games in high-scoring encounters. Their campaign, like last year, was built on depth and shared responsibility rather than individual brilliance.While Phil Salt is yet to burst into full swing, Virat Kohli has already donned the orange cap. Tim David’s finishing ability and Devdutt Padikkal’s solidity at the top further strengthened the batting unit. However, skipper Rajat Patidar led the charge as he was in commanding touch, scoring 222 runs in five matches with a 200-plus strike tally.“His batting was unbelievable,” Josh Hazlewood said on the eve of the match. “He comes in and can hit the first ball for a four or a six. Not only has he kept the momentum going, he’s taken it to another level, especially in the 7-15 phase.”RCB, who will don the green jerseys for the match, will face a new challenge in what will be their first match of the season. But with momentum and form on their side, they will be back to extend their dominance.
