DC vs SRH Live Score, IPL 2025: KL Rahul returns as Delhi Capitals eye back-to-back wins against Sunrisers Hyderabad

DC vs SRH Live Score, IPL 2025: Riding high on their morale-boosting victory over Lucknow Super Giants and strengthened by the return of India wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul, Delhi Capitals will aim to sustain their momentum when they face a formidable Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL on Sunday. After an explosive start to their campaign, SRH stumbled against LSG, suffering a five-wicket defeat that exposed vulnerabilities in their otherwise destructive batting lineup. Away from home, the onus will be on skipper Pat Cummins to inspire a swift turnaround. Delhi, on the other hand, will be buoyed by the return of Rahul, who missed the season opener due to the birth of his first child. A pivotal figure in India’s Champions Trophy triumph earlier this month, Rahul was acquired by Delhi Capitals for Rs 14 crore. However, despite his experience, he opted to play under Axar Patel’s leadership instead of captaining the side himself. Once an all-format mainstay for India, Rahul was not part of the T20 World Cup-winning squad last year and endured a tough IPL stint with LSG, leading to his non-retention. His tense on-field exchange with team owner Sanjiv Goenka last season, where frustration was evident, became a widely discussed moment. Determined to make a fresh start, Rahul is eager to let his performances do the talking. “I’ve been out of the T20 team for a while. I know where I stand as a player and what I need to do to get back. This IPL is an opportunity to rediscover my game and push for a return to the T20 squad,” Rahul recently stated. Before joining the Delhi Capitals camp, he was spotted training under India’s assistant coach Abhishek Nayar in Mumbai. Rahul’s presence is expected to bolster Delhi’s top order, which struggled in their previous match. Chasing 211, DC found themselves in dire straits at 65/5 before Ashutosh Sharma (66* off 31 balls) and Vipraj Nigam (39 at No. 8) orchestrated a thrilling one-wicket victory. Tristan Stubbs also chipped in with a crucial 34 at No. 6. Beyond his batting, Rahul will play a vital role in Delhi’s leadership group, offering crucial inputs to Patel, who is leading an IPL franchise for the first time. DC have often faltered in closing out games in recent seasons, but their hard-fought win over LSG should inject confidence into the squad. Delhi’s bowling attack, led by Mitchell Starc, promises to be a formidable force. His face-off with fellow Australian Travis Head could be a key battle. Alongside Starc, Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav will be crucial in neutralizing SRH’s explosive opening duo of Abhishek Sharma and Head, while Stubbs and Mohit Sharma could provide crucial breakthroughs in the latter stages. SRH announced their intentions emphatically with a record-breaking 286/6 in their season opener, powered by Ishan Kishan’s blistering 47-ball 106 after Head (67 off 31) and Abhishek Sharma (24 off 11) set the tone. However, their batting faltered in the second outing, managing just 190/9 against LSG. Wicketkeeper-batter Heinrich Klaasen acknowledged the need for more consistency, emphasizing the importance of capitalizing on starts. “A score of 210-220 would have been par on this wicket. We just didn’t put enough runs on the board,” Klaasen admitted. “Losing wickets at crucial moments disrupted our momentum. We need to ensure that doesn’t happen frequently.” SRH’s bowling attack, spearheaded by Mohammed Shami, Cummins, and Harshal Patel, remains a potent unit but was found lacking against LSG. Cummins, in particular, endured a tough outing, conceding at an economy of 15 runs per over. The Australian skipper will be eager to bounce back and lead from the front. Teams (from): Sunrisers Hyderabad: Pat Cummins (c), Ishan Kishan (wk), Atharva Taide, Abhinav Manohar, Aniket Verma, Sachin Baby, Heinrich Klaasen, Travis Head, Harshal Patel, Kamindu Mendis, Wiaan Mulder, Abhishek Sharma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mohammed Shami, Rahul Chahar, Adam Zampa, Simarjeet Singh, Zeeshan Ansari, Jaydev Unadkat, Eshan Malinga. Delhi Capitals: Axar Patel (c), KL Rahul (wk), Jake Fraser-McGurk, Karun Nair, Faf du Plessis, Donovan Ferreira, Abhishek Porel (wk), Tristan Stubbs (wk), Sameer Rizvi, Ashutosh Sharma, Darshan Nalkande, Vipraj Nigam, Ajay Mandal, Manvanth Kumar, Tripurana Vijay, Madhav Tiwari, Mitchell Starc, T Natarajan, Mohit Sharma, Mukesh Kumar, Dushmantha Chameera, Kuldeep Yadav.