Mumbai: The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are keen to acquire India batsman KL Rahul via a trade deal for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, the TOI has learnt.Rahul played for Delhi Capitals in the previous season. According to a source, KKR are interested in acquiring the India opener’s services and have sent him feelers regarding this.
“However, the deal is unlikely to work out as KKR don’t have anybody they can trade to the Delhi Capitals in return,” the source said.A big reason why KKR may be interested in getting Rahul into their fold is the presence of their assistant coach, former India all-rounder Abhishek Nayar.During his time with the Indian team as assistant coach, Rahul enjoyed an excellent equation with Nayar, and his white-ball resurgence can be attributed to the time he spent practicing and fine-tuning his game with Nayar.“I’ve worked really hard on my white-ball game the last year or so. Big shoutout to Abhishek Nayar. I’ve worked a lot with him ever since he’s come into the Indian team. We’ve spent hours and hours together talking about my white-ball game and how I can be better. We worked hours and hours together in Bombay, and somewhere I have found the fun playing white-ball cricket,” Rahul had said during the IPL.KKR may even offer captaincy to the 33-year-old Rahul.
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Should KKR pursue KL Rahul for IPL 2026?
KKR crashed out at the league stage in IPL 2025. Some bad calls — letting go of their 2024 IPL-winning captain Shreyas Iyer and roping in Venkatesh Iyer for ₹23.75 crore — cost the franchise heavily. The Shah Rukh Khan-owned team was led by Ajinkya Rahane last season.Rahul was roped in by Delhi Capitals (DC) for ₹14 crore after he parted ways with the Lucknow Super Giants.Meanwhile, KKR parted ways with head coach Chandrakant Pandit after three seasons. The franchise also let go of bowling coach Bharat Arun, who has joined the Lucknow Super Giants.
