Former India batter Suresh Raina believes that the Delhi Capitals (DC) are unlikely to release star wicketkeeper-opener KL Rahul ahead of the IPL 2026 retention deadline scheduled for Saturday. Raina, one of the most influential players in IPL history during his stint with Chennai Super Kings, shared his views on the current trading trends and the potential squad restructuring happening across franchises before the upcoming season.
Recent reports have indicated that the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), three-time IPL champions, have expressed strong interest in bringing Rahul to Eden Gardens. However, Raina feels DC will not entertain the idea of letting go of such a crucial player.
Rahul, who was bought by Delhi for ₹14 crore, enjoyed an impressive season last year, scoring 539 runs at a superb average of 53.90 and a strike rate of 149.72, anchoring Delhi’s top order. For Raina, those numbers make it clear that Rahul is central to DC’s long-term plans.
“I don’t think KL Rahul will leave Delhi Capitals. He got a good price in the last auction and performed really well,” Raina said in a conversation with JioHotstar. “In T20 cricket, he gives you both a quality batter and a wicketkeeper. He is the backbone of the team. Even Axar Patel has been performing consistently in T20Is and ODIs, and I think he should definitely lead the team. The big question for Delhi is whether they will retain Faf du Plessis or not.”
Du Plessis struggled in the previous season, scoring 202 runs from nine matches at an average of 22.44, putting his retention under scrutiny.
Shifting focus to Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), Raina pointed out that while the team has explosive batters, they still lack a stable, reliable middle order. Young uncapped batter Aniket Verma had a notable breakout year, scoring 236 runs in 14 games at a strike rate of 166.20, while Ishan Kishan began his season with a century and ended with another but lacked consistency through the middle stages.
“SRH need a sensible middle-order batter,” Raina emphasised. “Ishan Kishan started very well and has an aggressive batting approach. Then they have Heinrich Klaasen. But Nitish Kumar Reddy will have to step up because the team and owners are relying on him heavily.”
Meanwhile, former Australia opener Matthew Hayden offered a contrasting assessment, stating that Hyderabad’s primary concern is not their batting unit but their bowling attack. With the Hyderabad pitch offering a batting-friendly surface, Hayden believes SRH must seek bowlers with greater variation and adaptability.
“The big problem for SRH is their bowling attack,” Hayden said. “Hyderabad is a very good batting wicket, so SRH need quality bowlers. Potential major releases include Mohammed Shami, Abhinav Manohar, and Rahul Chahar. They will definitely target fast bowlers with variations in the mini-auction because that pitch demands it.”
Shami, in particular, is expected to be traded to Lucknow Super Giants, adding to the shifting dynamics ahead of the IPL 2026 season.