KL Rahul joins Delhi Capitals ahead of IPL 2026, recreates 'Kantara' celebration on arrival

India batter KL Rahul has linked up with Delhi Capitals ahead of the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) season, with the franchise sharing a video of his arrival at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.

Marking the moment in style, Rahul broke into his now-iconic ‘Kantara’ celebration upon stepping onto the pitch—a gesture that first grabbed attention during his match-winning knock against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Karnataka last season.

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Chasing 164 in that game, Rahul—typically known for his calm and composed demeanour—put on an unusually animated display after scoring an unbeaten 93 off 53 balls. He thumped his chest, pointed to the ground and his jersey, and moved his bat in a circular motion before tapping it emphatically on the pitch, as if declaring the M Chinnaswamy Stadium his territory. He later revealed the celebration was inspired by the 2022 Kannada film Kantara.

Rahul enjoyed one of his most aggressive seasons in recent years, amassing 539 runs in 13 matches at an average of 53.90 and a strike rate nearing 150. His tally included a century and three fifties, making him DC’s leading run-scorer and the ninth-highest overall in the tournament. He also topped the six-hitting charts for the franchise with 21 maximums.

Over the course of his IPL career, Rahul has been a consistent performer. In 145 matches, he has scored 5,222 runs in 136 innings at an average of 46.21 and a strike rate of 136.02, registering five centuries and 40 fifties. He has previously represented Sunrisers Hyderabad, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and Punjab Kings before joining Delhi.

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One of his standout seasons came in 2020, when he clinched the Orange Cap with 670 runs in 14 innings for Punjab.

Heading into the new season, Rahul will be eyeing the 6,000-run milestone—a feat achieved by only four players so far: Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan and David Warner. Currently, he stands as the seventh-highest run-scorer in IPL history.

Delhi Capitals will open their IPL 2026 campaign against Lucknow Super Giants on April 1 in Lucknow.