The Delhi Capitals (DC) may have to begin their season without its star cricker, KL Rahul, when the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 gets underway on March 22. Reports indicate that Rahul will miss the first few games for personal reasons, raising questions about DC’s starting lineup and leadership ambitions.
Rahul’s absence is due to the fact that he and his wife, Bollywood actress Athiya Shetty, are expecting their first child. In November 2024, the couple, who married in January 2023, revealed that they were expecting a child.
Rahul may miss one or two games, according to News18, and his availability for DC would depend on when his child is born.
In the IPL 2025 mega auction, DC paid INR 14 crore to acquire Rahul from the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), making him their highest acquisition. They are even considering him for the skipper position and expect him to be a key player at the top of the order.
The 32-year-old, who was instrumental in India’s Champions Trophy 2025 victory, is also vying to be the Delhi Capitals’ next captain.
Due to KL Rahul’s brief absence, the team will need to reevaluate DC’s starting combination. It would be possible to offer Prithvi Shaw, who has been inconsistent in recent seasons, an opportunity to establish himself. England purchased Harry Brook for INR 6.25 crore, making him another alternative; however, Shaw is more likely to become David Warner’s top-order partner because of his struggles in subcontinental conditions.
The former captain of LSG and the Punjab Kings (PBKS) has an outstanding IPL record, having participated in 132 games and amassed 4683 runs, including four hundreds and 37 half-centuries. Surprisingly, the team did not retain him before to the IPL 2025 super auctions, despite his achievements, which included becoming LSG’s top run scorer in the 2024 IPL.
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