IPL 2025: Varun Aaron urges Delhi Capitals to use KL Rahul as an opener, says ‘he’s going to solve…’

Experts recommend the Delhi Capitals utilize KL Rahul as an opening batsman and provide Karun Nair with fairer playing opportunities for the rest of the 2025 Indian Premier League season.

New Delhi: Following a rain-affected abandonment of their match against Sunrisers Hyderabad, the Delhi Capitals have received recommendations to utilize KL Rahul as an opener and provide Karun Nair with fairer opportunities in the remaining IPL 2025 matches. Despite a low score of 133/7, the Capitals avoided defeat due to the inclement weather. The result prevented SunRisers Hyderabad from securing a victory that could have hampered Delhi’s playoff aspirations.

Despite heavy rain preventing the second innings of the match, both teams settled for a draw, earning one point apiece. Following the game, former Indian fast bowler Varun Aaron suggested that the Delhi Capitals utilize KL Rahul as an opener to improve their batting consistency.

During the 2025 IPL season, KL Rahul primarily batted at the number four position for Delhi Capitals. Meanwhile, the team experimented with several different opening partnerships, including Jake Fraser-McGurk, Faf du Plessis, Abhishek Porel, and Karun Nair. Following du Plessis’ injury, Rahul filled in as opener in one game against Chennai Super Kings, successfully contributing a match-winning performance.

Following a single successful innings as an opener, Rahul was subsequently dropped from the Delhi Capitals opening position. Karun Nair’s 89-run performance batting at number three against Mumbai Indians proved to be an outlier, as he has underperformed in subsequent IPL 2025 matches.

“If you want stability in this batting lineup, send KL Rahul to open. He’s going to solve all your problems,” Aaron said on ESPNCricinfo’s ‘TimeOut’.

“If they are going to play around with the openers, then might as well put in the most experienced opener as an opener. Because they have put in Karun Nair, I don’t think it’s fair on him,” he added.

Varun Aaron also said that Delhi Capitals have been guilty of moving Karun Nair up and down the order. He reckons half of Delhi’s problems will be solved if KL Rahul is asked to come out as an opener alongside Faf du Plessis.

“They have really moved him up and down the order quite a lot. So if you are putting in, if you’re making radical changes a lot, put in the guys who are most suited to it and can take in the pressure,” said Aaron.

“We all know KL Rahul, how much he has moved up and down in the other teams,” he added.

Delhi Capitals’ low score of 133/7 against Sunrisers Hyderabad was significantly boosted by a 66-run partnership between Ashutosh Sharma and Tristan Stubbs for the seventh wicket.

Delhi’s batting lineup collapsed after Pat Cummins dismissed Karun Nair, Faf du Plessis, and Abhishek Porel, leaving them struggling at 29/5.

Delhi Capitals, currently fifth in the IPL standings with 13 points from 11 games, will play Punjab Kings in Dharamsala on May 8th.