IPL pressure tougher than international cricket: KL Rahul

KL Rahul has spoken candidly about the intense demands of the Indian Premier League, revealing that an IPL season leaves him far more mentally and physically exhausted than nearly a year of international cricket. The India and Delhi Capitals batter explained that the pressure on captains in the IPL is significantly higher, largely because they are accountable to franchise owners who often come from non-sporting backgrounds.

Rahul noted that while captaining Lucknow Super Giants, he was constantly questioned about every decision — something he rarely experiences in international cricket, where coaches and selectors understand the game deeply. Although LSG reached the playoffs in their first two seasons, the team’s seventh-place finish in 2024 invited strong criticism, including tense on-field exchanges between Rahul and team owner Sanjiv Goenka.

After the 2024 season, Rahul moved on from LSG and was picked up by the Delhi Capitals for Rs 14 crore at the 2025 mega auction. However, he opted not to lead the side, with Axar Patel continuing as captain.

Rahul said the most challenging part of IPL captaincy is the sheer volume of meetings and reviews required by team management. He shared that by the time the two-month tournament ends, he feels more drained than after a long international season.

He added that captains are routinely questioned on everything — from team selection to pitch conditions and match outcomes. Such scrutiny, he said, doesn’t happen in the national setup, where those in charge understand that even perfect planning cannot guarantee wins.

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Rahul also pointed out other unique challenges of the IPL: a packed schedule, frequent squad changes after auctions, adapting to teammates from varied cultures, and commercial shoot commitments — all within a short period. With so much happening at once, players barely get the time to fully know each other before the season races by.

Despite all this, Rahul stressed that every player, whether Indian or overseas, gives maximum effort and is committed to winning.

Amid speculation that he might be traded to Kolkata Knight Riders, DC head coach Hemang Badani clarified that the franchise never considered releasing him. Rahul remains one of the IPL’s most consistent performers, with 5,222 runs in 145 matches at an impressive average of 46.21.