Will KL Rahul Play Against LSG After Joining Delhi Capitals? Axar Patel Reveals

Despite joining the team a few days ago, KL Rahul's involvement in the Delhi Capitals' IPL 2025 opener against the Lucknow Super Giants is still up in the air, and even skipper Axar Patel is unsure.

The team management is still uncertain if KL Rahul will be included in the starting lineup for Monday, March 24, when DC plays PBKS in Visakhapatnam.

At the Dr. YS Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam, DC head coach Hemang Badani declined to comment on KL Rahul's batting position, saying that supporters will have to wait until game day to find out if the right-handed hitter will play against the Lucknow Super Giants.

Axar Patel unsure about KL Rahul’s availability

Axar Patel, the recently named captain of the Delhi Capitals, acknowledged ahead of their IPL 2025 opening that there is still uncertainty over KL Rahul's availability for Monday's LSG match because of the Indian wicketkeeper-batter's reasons.

“Obviously, he (KL Rahul) joined the team. We don't know yet [if he'll play]. Right now, we don't know if he is available or not,” Axar Patel told media as per ESPNCricinfo.

With a huge 286-run total against Rajasthan Royals in the most recent IPL 2025 match, Sunrisers Hyderabad almost broke their record of the highest IPL team total of 287 previous season.

Axar Patel says DC needs to continue to evolve to be competitive

According to Axar, the Delhi Capitals team needs to adjust to be competitive in the league.

“Nowadays cricket has changed a lot. Mostly IPL is more about the batsman's game, fours, and sixes. So, we have to evolve as a team. At the end of the day, I don't want to complicate things. As captain, I told the group that cricket is a game; keep it simple.

A good yorker is a good yorker ball, and if your execution is good, then you will be fine. So, I am not telling them too much that you should go for this and that. I am just asking them to keep it simple; that's my strategy throughout the tournament,” Axar said.

Axar drops DC's mantra for IPL 2025

Axar maintains that "cricket has evolved too much" and feels that DC should continue to lead the game instead of merely responding to events. He underlined how crucial it is to modify tactics when using the ball or in general gameplay.

Despite participating in the IPL for the past 17 years, the Delhi-based team has not yet won a trophy. However, Axar is certain that, with the strength and experience of the team, they can turn the tide in the current 2025 season.

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