IPL 2025: Why KL Rahul is not playing in the Delhi Capitals vs Lucknow Super Giants match?

Delhi Capitals wicketkeeper-batsman KL Rahul will not be available for the IPL 2025 match against Lucknow Super Giants. Rahul has joined the Delhi team for the first time, but he will not be able to play in the team's very first match. According to the news report of ESPNcricinfo, the 32-year-old has returned home citing personal reasons due to which he's not participating in this match.

According to the report, the former LSG skipper practiced with his new team till Saturday evening, but he left the team on Sunday. The Capitals are starting its campaign in IPL 2025 under the leadership of Axar Patel.

Delhi has come this time with a new captain and also a new coach. Hemang Badani will be the head coach of the team, while Venugopal Rao is the director of cricket and mentor Kevin Pietersen. At the same time, Delhi's bowling coach is Munaf Patel and the assistant coach is Matthew Mott. The management of the Delhi team has changed completely. 

The performance of both Lucknow & Delhi was poor last season.

Till now Rishabh Pant was leading Delhi, but now he will captain Lucknow, while Rahul was captaining Lucknow last year, but this time he will wear Delhi's jersey. However, it will take some time to see him in Delhi's jersey as he is not playing in the first match being held in Visakhapatnam. 

He has gone back to his home in order to be with his wife Athiya Shetty who is currently pregnant and both of them are expecting their first child. 

DC & LSG could not qualify for the playoffs last season. While the 2020 IPL runners-up finished sixth in the points table, Lucknow team finished seventh.

DC Captain Axar Patel did not give any kind information about KL Rahul

Delhi captain Axhar Patel, however, did not say during the toss that Rahul will not play in this match. He had said during the press conference on the eve of the match that it is not certain whether the wicketkeeper batter will play in this match or not. 

The name of the 32-year-old was not included in the playing-11 announced by Delhi for this match. Axar said about his captaincy that I have been a part of the Delhi franchise for the last few years and have always been a part of the leadership group. I need to think as a leader.

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