NEW DELHI: Legendary Indian player Sunil Gavaskar has predicted that Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) might go all out to secure wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul in the upcoming IPL 2025 mega auction.
With his proven record as a consistent run-scorer and his leadership experience, Rahul could become a hot commodity for teams seeking a reliable top-order batsman and potential captaincy material.
Gavaskar highlighted that both CSK and RCB could benefit significantly from Rahul’s ability when needed. His versatility and composure make him an ideal fit for franchises looking to strengthen their batting lineup, setting the stage for an intense bidding war.
‘KL Rahul is going to unleash himself in the next three to five years’
LSG made a notable decision by not retaining their captain Rahul while keeping Nicholas Pooran, Ravi Bishnoi, Mayank Yadav, Mohsin Khan and Ayush Badoni in their roster.
Meanwhile, RCB chose to retain three cricketers – Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar and Yash Dayal, and CSK kept five players in their squad – Ruturaj Gaikwad, Matheesha Pathirana, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja and MS Dhoni.
The two southern teams will participate in the auction with substantial budgets – RCB with Rs 83 crore to fill 22 positions and CSK with Rs 55 crore for 20 spots.
“I do believe that the two south franchises, Bengaluru as well as Chennai, will go for KL Rahul. Maybe even Hyderabad will go, but Bangalore is of course KL Rahul’s hometown. So clearly I think he will be enthused, he will be encouraged, he will want to play in front of his home crowd. So Bengaluru might go for KL Rahul,” Gavaskar said on Star Sports.
What IPL can do as far as salaries of players are concerned?
Sanjay Manjrekar, former India cricketer, shared his analysis regarding David Warner’s prospects during the auction discussions. The ex-cricketer offered insights about the renowned international batter, who has earned recognition for his aggressive batting style.
“It’s been a few years since David Warner’s performances have been great. But he is still a great player. When Devon Conway was released by CSK, I’m sure they will buy him back. They are quite influenced by Rachid Ravindra as well. I don’t think they will be interested in bringing David Warner into their plans. I don’t think Warner can fit in CSK,” Manjrekar said.
Manjrekar also elaborated on how Mohammed Shami’s recent fitness concerns will influence the auction proceedings.
“There will definitely be interest from teams, but given Shami’s injury history — and this recent one took a significant amount of time to recover — there’s always a concern about a potential breakdown during the season. If a franchise invests heavily and then loses him mid-season, their options become limited. This concern might lead to a drop in his price tag,” he said.
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