'Questions were also raised about Virat Kohli' - Sanjay Bangar lauds star batter after heroics in RR vs DC

Published - 02 May 2026, 11:49 IST | Updated - 02 May 2026, 12:09 IST

Sanjay Bangar heaped praise on KL Rahul after the 34-year-old smashed 75 off 40 balls during Delhi Capitals' seven-wicket win against the Rajasthan Royals at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on Friday, May 1.

The former India batting coach said that Rahul has changed his game considerably, playing with a fearless approach during IPL 2026. He added that the wicketkeeper-batter has understood that he needed to shift his template to a more aggressive brand of cricket to survive in modern-day cricket. Bangar also mentioned that the likes of Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill have also gone the same route.

“He has shown adaptability, and we have discussed this before as well. Questions were also raised about Virat Kohli, and many players had to adapt to the way India is playing now. Everyone has to follow this template. Shubman Gill has also shown that change, and it is visible in his game. If you play like this, only then you can survive in today’s cricket," Bangar said during a discussion on his YouTube channel.

Bangar believes that in modern-day cricket, Rahul can win matches for his team only by playing the brand of cricket he showed on Friday.

“There has definitely been a change, and it is clearly visible because he has understood that if you want to survive in modern cricket, especially franchise cricket like the IPL, you have to play this brand of cricket. He has adapted beautifully. Earlier, in the last few seasons, he used to play a few innings like this, but now he has realised that he needs to play in this template. Only then can he survive, only then can his team win, and only then can his name stay relevant in terms of selection discussions, especially for India in this format," he observed.

Rahul climbed to the top of the Orange Cap list with his exemplary knock on Friday. In nine matches, he has amassed 433 runs at an average of 54.13 and a strike rate of 185.84. He has three fifties and one century to his name.

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On Friday, Rahul and Pathum Nissanka scored blistering half-centuries to help the Capitals chase down a 226-run target with seven wickets and five balls remaining.