KL Rahul annoys RCB, openly declares WAR ahead of IPL 2026 auction

Delhi Capitals (DC) batter KL Rahul opened up about his 'Kantara celebration' during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). Rahul stated that he wanted to make a statement, as there had been speculation about his potential return to the Bengaluru franchise.

The 33-year-old, known for his composed demeanor on the field, mimicked the 'Kantara' celebration after his match-winning knock at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on April 10. Rahul, playing for the Delhi Capitals (DC), told the world that Bengaluru is his home ground, where his cricketing journey began.

KL Rahul Ranks His Top Five On-Field Celebrations

During his appearance on the YouTube channel 2 Sloggers, KL Rahul ranked his most memorable on-field celebrations. Notably, his viral ‘Kantara’ gesture was not his top pick.

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Rahul placed his ‘dab’ celebration at No. 5 and his two-finger salute from the Test series against the West Indies at No. 4. He named his ‘shut the noise’ gesture, often seen as a response to critics, at the No. 3 spot, while the ‘Kantara’ celebration was second.

The wicketkeeper-batter named his century celebration against Pakistan in the 2023 Asia Cup as his favorite. He scored an unbeaten 111 off 106 balls and celebrated the milestone by raising his bat skyward in calm fashion. Notably, it was his first match for India after undergoing surgery and rehabilitation.

I Needed to Make Some Statement - KL Rahul

Royal Challengers Bengaluru withdrew from the auction at ₹10.50 crore, and Delhi Capitals signed KL Rahul for ₹14 crore ahead of IPL 2025. The batter admitted the celebration wasn’t pre-planned but was sparked by the off-field chatter and his connection with Bengaluru.

"This was not planned. The other celebrations were planned. Many things were going on in my life off the field. So, this was one of those moments where I lost control of my emotions," Rahul told 2 Sloggers.

"It was in Bangalore, and this was the year, it was in my mind, and there was a build-up on social media that I will go back to Bangalore, and I didn't, for whatever reason. So, I felt that I needed to make some statement."

Royal Challengers Bengaluru Clinched Maiden IPL Title in 2025

KL Rahul scored an unbeaten 93 off 53 balls against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. The Delhi Capitals star finished the season with 539 runs at an average of 53.90 and a strike rate of 149.72, including three half-centuries and one century.

However, the Delhi-based franchise failed to qualify for the playoffs, while RCB went on to clinch their maiden IPL title with a win over Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the final.

The 33-year-old last played for India in the three-match ODI series against Australia. He scored 49 runs in the first two games and didn’t bat in the final match.

The wicketkeeper-batter is not part of the squad for the upcoming five-match T20I series against Australia starting October 29. However, he is expected to return for the two-match home Test series against South Africa, beginning on November 14 at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

Also read: KL Rahul's official statement on IPL trade released, which team will he land up in?