Irfan Pathan Previews KL Rahul’s Contest Against SRH’s Young Fast Bowlers
Irfan Pathan expects KL Rahul against SRH’s young pacers Praful Hinge and Sakib Hussain to shape the Delhi Capitals match, and offers advice.
By SportCricket Desk · 21 Apr 2026 · 2 min read
Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has picked out one matchup he is looking forward to in the Delhi Capitals–Sunrisers Hyderabad game: KL Rahul against SRH’s young fast bowlers, Praful Hinge and Sakib Hussain.
Rahul in control
On his YouTube channel, Pathan praised Rahul’s recent form, pointing to a composed half-century against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. He said the experienced opener looks in complete control and is a strong player against pace, which makes his handling of fast bowling a possible deciding factor against a young attack.
Advice for Hinge
Pathan urged Hinge not to repeat the error from his previous match against Sanju Samson, when he leaned too much on short-pitched balls. He stressed the value of varying lengths and bowling fuller early on, warning that Rahul is likely to take advantage of anything predictable.
Sakib’s slower balls
Sakib Hussain was Pathan’s other bowler to watch, especially for his effective slower deliveries. Pathan suggested these variations could cause problems for big hitters such as David Miller, making that another contest to follow.
Sakib has started the tournament well, taking five wickets in two matches at an economy rate of 7 and an average of 11.20.
