Tamil Nadu player R Rajkumar is in the headlines after scoring 93 not out against Uttarakhand in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2025. Ahead of the IPL 2026 auction, he was called for trials by Kolkata Knight Riders, Delhi Capitals and Chennai Super Kings.
In the match against Uttarakhand on Sunday, R Rajkumar came in to bat at No. 5 in the second innings and scored an unbeaten 93 off 43 balls, hitting six fours and eight sixes. This was only his third match, and his innings helped Tamil Nadu chase down 165 for a five-wicket win over Uttarakhand.
The 32-year-old is being watched by several franchises for the upcoming IPL season. Teams are looking for hard-hitting middle order players who can also bowl medium pace. The Tamil Nadu player could be a good fit, as he can play in the main team or be used as a backup.
In this year’s TNPL, Rajkumar made 200 runs in eight innings with an average of 40 and a strike rate of 198.01. This was the second highest strike rate in the tournament. He also took four wickets in seven innings for the Trichy Grand Cholas, maintaining an economy rate of 7.52.
Gujarat Titans (GT) assistant coach Parthiv Patel and Mumbai Indians (MI) talent scout John Wright were also present to watch his powerful performance on Sunday.
Speaking after his unbeaten 93 on Monday, he said he had gone for the Mumbai Indians trials in 2016 but struggled with his batting at that time. Now, he feels he has improved a lot and can clearly see the difference in the way he batted compared to those earlier trials.
“I had gone for the MI trials in 2016. I struggled with my batting that time. But this time, I could see that I’ve improved a lot from the way I batted at those trials,” R Rajkumar said as quoted by Sportstar.
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The Tamil Nadu pace-bowling all-rounder could be a good option in the IPL 2026 auction. With Andre Russell retiring, there are not many pace-bowling all-rounders available this year. Cameron Green will be one of the main choices, and teams like KKR and CSK will definitely target him. But players like R Rajkumar could also be smart domestic picks.
Since multiple teams invited him for trials including Delhi Capitals, KKR and CSK, it shows there is real interest in him. The franchises that called him are looking for a middle-order player who can also bowl pace. Even though Rajkumar does not have much T20 experience, he can still be a useful and budget-friendly signing.
Being a Tamil Nadu player, he knows the conditions well, which could make him a good fit for CSK. For KKR, they already have TNPL star Varun Chakravarthy and have shown interest in Sunny Sandhu, so they tend to favor players from the TNPL.
For Delhi Capitals too, there aren’t many options for the all-rounder role. Axar Patel is their only reliable all-rounder, and they also need a finisher for that position, so R Rajkumar could be a good fit.
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