A new season of the IPL is upon us, and KL Rahul will be wearing a different team jersey this year. After serving as the captain of the Lucknow Super Giants until last season, he was acquired by the Delhi Capitals during the IPL 2025 auction held in Jeddah. The Capitals made a significant investment in the wicketkeeper-batter, securing him for ₹14 crores, starting from a base price of ₹2 crores.

However, reports indicate that Rahul may not participate in Delhi's opening match against his former team, LSG, in Visakhapatnam. His late arrival to the team’s pre-season preparations was due to personal matters.

It is believed that Rahul will miss the opener as he and his wife, Athiya Shetty, are expecting their first child. Nonetheless, he was recently seen at a promotional event in the Middle East.

Axar Patel on KL Rahul's availability

Regarding Rahul's availability for the opening match, DC captain Axar Patel commented, “He has joined the team, but we are uncertain about his playing status at this moment.”

Rahul was the most expensive acquisition for DC in the auction, and the franchise received accolades for its strategic approach. They were also observed inflating the prices of certain players before retracting when bidding intensified.

In addition, DC secured Ausan Tralian fast bowler for ₹11.75 crores and India's T Natarajan for ₹10.75 crores. An Australian batter was obtained through the RTM option for ₹9 crores, along with Mukesh Kumar for ₹8 crores. South African player Faf du Plessis will also join DC this season for ₹2 crores.

Axar Patel has taken over as DC's new captain, succeeding Rishabh Pant, who has moved to LSG. Pant was acquired for a record ₹27 crores in Jeddah, adding pressure on the wicketkeeper-batter. During India's successful Champions Trophy campaign, Pant was benched in favour of Rahul, who played a pivotal role in securing the title. Besides Axar, DC had several strong candidates for the captaincy.

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