Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra believes KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant will be highly sought-after at the IPL 2025 mega auction.
Chopra suggests that multiple teams will be eager to sign Rahul with his auction price potentially reaching INR 25-30 crore.
KL Rahul’s three-year stint with Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) has reportedly come to an end as both he and the franchise have decided to part ways.
Rahul was chosen as LSG’s draft pick and captain when the team joined the IPL in 2022. He had an impressive debut season leading the team to the playoffs. In 2023 despite his mid-season injury, LSG reached the playoffs.
However in IPL 2024 LSG finished in seventh place and reports suggested franchise owner Sanjiv Goenka was disappointed with Rahul’s performance and captaincy. Goenka’s on-field reaction after a loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad shocked many fans.
Now reports indicate that Rahul has decided to leave LSG for personal and professional reasons. Alongside Rahul, Rishabh Pant is also likely to enter the 2025 mega auction, as Delhi Capitals are reportedly not retaining him.
In a video on his YouTube channel, Chopra predicted both Pant and Rahul would attract massive bids, with teams willing to pay Rs25-30 crore. He said:
“Rishabh Pant is going to get a lot of money, maybe up to Rs25-30 crore. The same applies to KL Rahul, who regularly scores 500-600 runs each season.”
Rahul has played 38 matches for LSG, scoring 1410 runs at an average of 41.47 and a strike rate of 130.67. While some have criticized his strike rate, Chopra doesn’t think it will affect his auction value.
Teams like Chennai Super Kings, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Punjab Kings, Delhi Capitals, Mumbai Indians, and Kolkata Knight Riders may all bid for him.
