England fast-bowler Jofra Archer has named India wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul as the toughest batter he has ever faced, noting how difficult he found bowling to him during his early IPL years.
The two have encountered each other in eight IPL innings, with Rahul holding a favorable record against Archer. He has amassed 108 runs from 73 balls, striking at a rate of 147.94. Archer, however, has dismissed Rahul twice in that span. In four Test matches, Rahul has scored 50 runs off 136 balls without losing his wicket. When asked about the most challenging batter he has bowled to, Archer pointed to Rahul, praising his ability to strike any delivery.
“Probably KL Rahul in the first few years of the IPL. He was in his prime then, and it felt like he could hit any ball anywhere. He was really hard to bowl to,” Archer said, speaking on the Super Over podcast.
I HAD NO ANSWER FOR KL RAHUL – JOFRA ARCHER
Q : Hardest batter you’ve ever bowled to?
Jofra: “Probably KL Rahul in the first few years of the IPL. He was in his prime then, and it felt like he could hit any ball anywhere. He was really hard to bowl to.” pic.twitter.com/lEprhZsCmJ
— Sam (@cricsam02) June 22, 2026
Archer recently played for England in the second Test against New Zealand at the Oval. After missing the first match, the 31‑year‑old returned with match figures of 5 for 123 from 36 overs as England fell short by 253 runs. His recall came after a major squad reshuffle prompted by Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson missing the game following a nightclub incident, and Ollie Robinson’s absence due to a knee problem.
Archer is coming off an impressive IPL campaign, claiming 25 wickets in 16 games at an economy of 9.31 while serving as the Rajasthan Royals’ primary strike bowler in their push for the playoffs.
