KL Rahul has delivered a blunt assessment of IPL captaincy, revealing he feels more drained after two months of franchise cricket than 10 months of international duty. The India wicketkeeper-batter opened up about the relentless scrutiny from team owners who lack cricketing backgrounds, saying it often “feels like you’re being interrogated”.

More Draining Than International Cricket

Speaking to Jatin Sapru for Humans of Bombay, Rahul made a striking comparison between IPL and international cricket pressures. “What I found hard as a captain in the IPL was the number of meetings and reviews required, and having to explain decisions at the ownership level. I realised that by the end of the IPL, I was more mentally and physically drained than after playing 10 months of international cricket,” he stated.

The Interrogation Experience

Rahul detailed the constant questioning captains face from franchise owners who often lack deep understanding of cricket’s nuances. “Coaches and captains are constantly asked a lot of questions. After a point, it feels like you’re being interrogated—‘Why did you make this change? Why did he play in the XI? Why did the opposition score 200 while we couldn’t even get 120? Why are their bowlers getting more spin?’” he explained.

The 33-year-old emphasized this scrutiny doesn’t exist in international cricket. “These are questions we never get asked throughout the year because the coaches know what’s going on. You’re only answerable to coaches and selectors, who have all played cricket and understand the game,” Rahul said.

Explaining Uncertainty to Non-Sporting Backgrounds

The most challenging aspect, according to Rahul, is explaining sport’s inherent unpredictability to people without competitive sporting experience. “No matter what you do, no matter how many boxes you tick, nothing in sport guarantees victory. That’s hard to explain to people from a non-sporting background,” he stated.

The Sanjiv Goenka Context

While Rahul didn’t name anyone specifically, his comments are widely interpreted as referencing his turbulent final season with Lucknow Super Giants. In IPL 2024, LSG finished seventh after reaching playoffs in Rahul’s first two seasons as captain.

The defining moment came when LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka had a heated on-field conversation with Rahul following a heavy defeat to Sunrisers Hyderabad—a viral video that became one of the season’s most talked-about incidents. The public dressing-down sparked intense debate about owner interference and player dignity.

IPL’s Unique Challenges

Beyond ownership pressure, Rahul highlighted the IPL’s compressed timeline and constant squad changes. “What makes IPL hard is the number of games we play in a two-month period. There’s always a new team member coming in. There are three-four new members who are coming in after a mini auction. Having to interact with players from different cultures, different parts of the world,” he said.

“Sometimes, those two months fly away before we even get to know our teammates fully. Sometimes, the tough part of playing the IPL is everything needs to happen really fast. All the planning, understanding players and all of that. While all this is happening, we are shooting for commercials,” Rahul added.

Fresh Start at Delhi Capitals

After parting ways with LSG, Rahul was bought by Delhi Capitals for Rs 14 crore at the 2025 mega auction. Significantly, he declined captaincy responsibilities, with all-rounder Axar Patel continuing to lead the side.

The decision proved wise—Rahul flourished as Delhi’s top scorer in IPL 2025, smashing 539 runs in 13 games at an average of 53.90, including one century and three fifties. His performances earned him retention by DC ahead of the IPL 2026 mini auction.

Consistent IPL Performer

Despite captaincy struggles, Rahul remains one of the IPL’s most consistent batters with 5,222 runs in 145 matches at an average of 46.21. His career includes successful stints with Royal Challengers Bangalore, Punjab Kings, LSG, and now DC.

Rahul’s candid revelations shed light on the immense pressures franchise cricket places on leaders—pressures that go far beyond on-field performance to include managing stakeholders with vastly different perspectives on the sport.