New Delhi [India], March 23 (ANI): Ahead of the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL), Delhi Capitals (DC) skipper Axar Patel explained that KL Rahul batted in the middle order last year due to the team's composition, which included two foreign top-order players.

He emphasised that Rahul has historically excelled as an opener and believes that giving him a top-order slot will provide strong starts in T20 matches, easing the role for the middle-order batters.

IPL is set to kick off from March 28, while Delhi Capitals will start their campaign with a match against LSG on April 1 in Lucknow.

'Last year, he was playing in the middle order because of our team combination. The players we had there were two foreign players, who could play in the top order, and, if you make foreign players play in the middle order, then teams use spin more,' Patel told the reporters.

'So, because of this, we used KL Rahul in the middle order last year. He has always been good, in the opening slot, he has made a lot of runs. And if you get a good start in T20 cricket, then it becomes easier for the ones at the back. So, I think till now, we will keep him as an opener,' he added.

Rahul is among just the six batters in IPL history with 4,000-plus runs as an opening batter. He boasts 4,418 runs from 103 matches in this regard at 49.64 (SR: 138.14). Shikhar Dhawan (6,362), David Warner (5,910), Virat Kohli (5,009), Chris Gayle (4,480), and du Plessis (4,004) are the other members on this list.

Last season, Faf du Plessis and Jake Fraser-McGurk opened the innings in the first half of the tournament. Rahul, who batted in the middle order in the first half of the season, later returned as an opener after Fraser-McGurk's lean patch with the bat.

Though the Capitals could not qualify for the playoffs, Rahul played some stunning knocks at the top. (ANI)