Delhi Capitals opener KL Rahul Shared his views on youngsters Abhishek Porel and Sahil Parakh, both of whom have impressed during the Indian Premier League 2026 season. Rahul, who has scored 533 runs in 13 matches this year at an average of 44.42, has performed consistently at the top of the order for DC.
Speaking about Porel, Rahul praised the left-handed batsman's ability to reach all areas of the ground and highlighted his confidence under pressure. He said that the young player has shown the skill of hitting difficult shots against good bowlers even in high-pressure situations.
“It's his ability to hit sixes and reach all parts of the ground. The new guys coming in are all 360-degree batsmen. Abhishek Porel can hit you for a six over long-on on the first ball, or he can scoop you over fine leg on the very first ball. That kind of range is unusual even among experienced players. It's something to think about. But the special thing about the new boys, especially Abhishek Porel, is that he can hit those shots. Can execute high-pressure games against good bowlers and strong teams,” Rahul said on Star Sports.
He said, “He doesn't need time to settle. He is not afraid of the situation. He just sees the ball and goes after it. Yes, all credit goes to his training and how well he has prepared for such a big competition. This kind of mentality is rare in a young player. He believes in his ability and that is why he is succeeding. Abhishek Porel is a great example of this fearless new generation.”
Rahul also expressed his enthusiasm about young batsman Sahil Parakh and was particularly impressed by his six-hitting ability. The veteran batsman praised Parakh's overall batting skills, describing them as extremely impressive and said he was hopeful that the youngster would get a fair opportunity to showcase his full potential.
“I first saw Sahil Parakh during our practice camp, a week before the start of IPL 2026. I saw a video posted by Delhi Capitals from a training session in Hyderabad. It was just a minute of him hitting a six after a six. I thought, 'Who is this guy?' I knew that we had selected a player named Sahil and I had seen some clips of him in the Maharashtra League. But seeing him hit those sixes, it really caught my attention. When I saw him in person at the camp, he was even more impressive. Very dynamic. Players like Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Ayush Mhatre have already shown their talent on the IPL stage,” Rahul said.
“But there are others like Sahil, from the same Under-19 batch, who bat fearlessly and have the same range of shots. He is naturally a top-order batsman, but in one game, he was sent in at five or six and had to finish the innings. He scored 20 runs in the final over. The composure, skill and ability to take on any bowler, pace or spin, was striking. He could hit the ball to any part of the ground. He had already made his debut Delhi Capitals, and I hope he gets a fair chance to show what he can really do,” he said.
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