 "Explained: Why KL Rahul is likely to sit out of DC's opening game of IPL 2025 against LSG")
Delhi Capitals (DC) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) get their 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) campaigns underway on Monday in Visakhapatnam. The match will be a special one for Rishabh Pant, who will be making his debut as LSG captain against the franchise that he had represented his entire IPL career before getting picked by the Sanjiv Goenka-owned franchise for a record Rs 27 crore.
In an indirect trade of sorts, wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul had been bought by the Capitals for Rs 14 crore after leading the Super Giants since they made their IPL debut alongside Gujarat Titans in 2022. Unlike Pant, however, Rahul will likely not be facing his former franchise at Visakhapatnam’s ACA-VDCA Stadium – the Capitals’ second home.
KL Rahul likely to miss LSG clash due to “personal reasons”
Ahead of their season-opener against LSG, DC captain Axar Patel revealed Rahul might be sitting out of the upcoming due to “personal” reasons.
“Obviously, he joined the team and we all know that he has a personal problem. So, we don’t know yet. So, if he comes back, we ask him if he is okay and we’ll let you know tomorrow morning. I think we’ve got to know and so, now we don’t know if he is available or not,” said Axar, who had been named DC captain a week before the season opener between Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bengaluru .
Rahul and wife Athiya Shetty are expecting the birth of their first child, having announced the news back in November through their social media accounts. Rahul, who had starred in India’s Champions Trophy triumph in the UAE recently, was reportedly late in joining the team’s pre-season camp.
Rahul and Pant had not been retained by LSG and DC respectively ahead of the mega auction in Jeddah Saudi Arabia in November.
Rahul, however, was noted to have parted ways with the Super Giants on a sour note, having been publicly rebuked by team owner Goenka following a 10-wicket thrashing in an away game against Sunrisers Hyderabad.
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