Why is KL Rahul Missing LSG’s First IPL 2025 Match? Not Injury, But a Big Personal Reason!

Visakhapatnam: KL Rahul will not be able to play the first match for Delhi Capitals in IPL 2025. This match is being played in Visakhapatnam against Lucknow Super Giants. Rahul has gone back home to stay with his wife, Athiya Shetty. The couple is expecting their first child. Rahul was released by Lucknow before the IPL 2025 auction. Delhi later bought him for Rs 12 crore.

Changes in Delhi team

Teammate Mitchell Starc's wife Alyssa Healy had already told that KL Rahul might not be able to play some initial matches. After Rishabh Pant's ouster from the squad, Axar Patel has been made the captain and Faf du Plessis the vice-captain. According to Cricbuzz, Rahul has moved back home to be with his wife Athiya Shetty. Recently, the couple also shared the news of Athiya being pregnant on social media.

Rahul was released

KL Rahul was released by Lucknow ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction in November last year. He was later signed by Delhi for Rs 12 crore. This comes 12 years after his first IPL stint with Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2013. Rahul played a key role in India's recent Champions Trophy win in Dubai.

Alyssa Healy, who is the wife of Rahul's new teammate Mitchell Starc, had already revealed that the wicketkeeper-batsman would miss a few matches at the start of the season. Healy had said, 'Harry Brook is not there, so it will be interesting to see who will replace him. KL Rahul will probably not play the first two matches, I think. They are waiting for the birth of (their) child, but that atmosphere is very good.'

Faf du Plessis will be the vice-captain

After dropping India wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant from the team, Delhi has changed its leadership position for this season. Axar Patel has been made the captain and Faf du Plessis the vice-captain. After the match against Lucknow, the Capitals will take on Sunrisers Hyderabad on March 30.

Playing 11 of both teams:

Delhi Capitals: Jake Fraser-McGurk, Faf du Plessis, Abhishek Porel (wicketkeeper), Sameer Rizvi, Axar Patel (captain), Tristan Stubbs, Vipraj Nigam, Mitchell Starc, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohit Sharma, Mukesh Kumar.

Lucknow Super Giants: Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, Nicholas Pooran, Ayush Badoni, Rishabh Pant (wk/c), David Miller, Prince Yadav, Digvesh Rathi, Shahbaz Ahmed, Shardul Thakur, Ravi Bishnoi.