KL Rahul has been sold to Delhi Capitals for INR 14 crore in the IPL 2025 mega auction. The wicketkeeper-batsman was one of the marquee players in the auction and was available at a base price of INR 2 crore.
Rahul, who represented Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the previous season, had been their captain since 2022. Under his leadership, LSG reached the playoffs in 2022 and 2023 but failed to do so in IPL 2024. His relationship with the team's owner, Sanjeev Goenka, deteriorated following a heavy loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad, which all but ended their playoff hopes. Goenka publicly scolded Rahul after the defeat. Reflecting on the incident, Rahul said, "Whatever happened on the field after the game wasn't the nicest thing to be part of or something that anyone wants to see on the cricket field. I think it did affect the entire group. We still had a chance to make it into the playoffs."
Despite the fallout with LSG, Rahul remains one of the IPL’s most consistent performers. In the past six seasons, he has surpassed 600 runs four times, with a top score of 670 runs in IPL 2020. He has scored 4,683 runs in 132 IPL matches, including four centuries and 37 half-centuries.
Rahul’s IPL journey began with Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2013 before stints with Sunrisers Hyderabad and Punjab Kings. He enjoyed a breakthrough season with Punjab in 2018, scoring 659 runs, which established him as one of the league’s elite batsmen. After joining LSG in 2022, he led the team to the playoffs in his first season, scoring 616 runs, including two centuries.
With his proven track record, Rahul is expected to be a key player for Delhi Capitals in the upcoming season. The bidding for the Indian star was competitive, with Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bengaluru also in the race before Delhi secured his services with a final bid of INR 14 crore.