KL Rahul is a rare talented cricketer, as the 32-year-old cricketer is known for his versatility. He can be used in various positions on a team, which makes him a valuable and unexchangeable asset for any team. Currently, he is in an interesting phase in his career.

Since his international cricket debut in 2014, Rahul has played 53 Tests, 77 ODIs, and 72 T20Is. The right-handed batter has scored 2981, 2851, and 2265 runs, respectively. While he has a moderate Test batting average (33.87), he also has impressive batting averages in the white-ball formats (49.15 ODI average and 37.75 T20I average). 

KL Rahul’s versatility

KL Rahul can bat as an opener or as a top-order. The right-handed batter can also take the middle-order batting responsibilities, especially in the Test cricket format. In the T20 cricket format, Rahul majorly takes the opening batter responsibility. In the meantime, he is a good fielder in various positions and a dependable wicketkeeper. 

Rahul has experienced the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019 and 2023 editions. On the other hand, he has also played in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 and 2022 editions. 

Present status

Despite his strong international cricket resume, Rahul is struggling to secure his place in the national team. While he has recently struggled with the bat in Test cricket, his ODI and T20I records are not strong enough, especially in terms of strike rate. In fact, he last played a T20I match during the semi-final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia. 

While India are now ready for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 (BGT 2024-25), where India will play a five-match Test series against the hosts Australia, Rahul has a major role in the team. While the Indian batting side doesn’t have much experience in Australia, Rahul has to play an important role in the batting side. 

KL Rahul in Australia

Rahul previously played Tests in Australia in the 2014-15 season and the 2018-19 season. In five Tests in Australia, the right-handed batter scored 187 runs in nine innings with an average of 20.17. Apart from 110 in the 2015 Sydney Test, Rahul’s other valuable contribution with the bat was 44 runs during the 2018 Adelaide Test. In the other seven Test innings in Australia, Rahul only managed one double-digit score (16 in the 2015 Sydney Test). Surely, it isn’t a good picture in his career.

However, Rahul has a great opportunity to become a dependable player for the national team by performing well with his experiences in the upcoming BGT. 

Rahul in the IPL

While Rahul is struggling to stay in the Indian team, he was also recently released from the IPL team Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). Despite becoming the first LSG player to score 1000+ runs and leading the team to the Eliminator on their IPL debut in 2022, Rahul wasn’t retained by the LSG before the upcoming mega auction. 

Rahul’s exclusion from the LSG was expected, as the franchise’s unhappiness with the skipper Rahul was openly visible in the last season, as he had a heated argument with the chairman Sanjiv Goenka after the end of their IPL 2024 match against the hosts SunRisers Hyderabad.

SEE ALSO: IPL 2025 Mega Auction: Know date, venue, and live streaming details

Why is Rahul important in the IPL?

Although Rahul has been criticised recently for his non-aggressive attitude in T20 cricket batting, especially as an opener, it is also true that the right-handed batter has been the leading run-scorer since the IPL 2017. During this period, Rahul batted 93 IPL innings, where he scored 30 or more runs in 51 innings, including four centuries and 33 half-centuries. It shows his consistency level with the bat in this format. 

So, there is no doubt that Rahul will be a highly demandable player in the upcoming IPL mega auction. His previous IPL teams Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) have the spots for him, and they can fight with other franchises in the upcoming mega auction. 

The final talk

While KL Rahul is going through multiple issues, he has a great chance to quash all the negative talks around him. Rahul has seen this tough time previously, and he managed to move away from that with the time progress. The experienced Rahul is once again in a tough but opportunity-filled phase, and we only expect the best story from him.

Rather than focusing on day three of the simulation match, Indian cricketers were busy at the nets. This decision may have been influenced by Shubman Gill’s injury, as he will miss the Test series opener.

In the three-day India vs India A simulation match, the initial plan was a batter would return to the pavilion after his dismissal, just like the game. However, it was later changed to give one more chance after the first dismissal, as the batters were more comfortable in the second opportunity. 

Virat Kohli was busy adapting to the condition

Former Indian captain Virat Kohli struggled against the short-pitched deliveries during the simulation match. After scoring 15 runs, Kohli scored 30 not out. However, on Sunday, Kohli was seen only in warm-up, not in batting. 

Not only Kohli, but most of the Indian batters were working to face the short-pitched deliveries in the nets. 

Indian bowlers

On the second day, Indian bowlers were busy. While all the Indian bowlers delivered 15 overs each, Jasprit Bumrah bowled 18 overs. 

Ishan Kishan and Ruturaj Gaikwad impressed

On the second day of the simulation match, Ishan Kishan and Ruturaj Gaikwad impressed. Kishan smashed a sixer to Yashasvi Jaiswal, who was also in focus to work on the short-pitched deliveries.

On the other hand, Gaikwad strongly batted against the strongest Indian bowlers, Jasprit Bumrah and Ravichandran Ashwin. In the absence of Shubman Gill, Gaikwad can be an option for the Perth Test. 

KL Rahul was busy on day three

Indian cricket fans were worried about KL Rahul, who had an elbow injury while facing Prasidh Krishna on the first day of the simulation match. However, there is good news for the Indian cricket fans as Rahul was busy on Sunday. 

After facing top Indian bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, etc., on the centre pitch. Rahul also joined the nets to face old and new balls. His busyness echoed his readiness for the Test series opener.

However, after batting strongly, Rahul was reportedly bowled six times. 

Ravindra Jadeja batted

In the meantime, Ravindra Jadeja practiced with the bat on Sunday, but he wasn't seen in bowling practice. 

India's surprise choices

Harshit Rana has impressed both in the simulation game and nets. The 22-year-old uncapped right-arm fast bowler was in great form in domestic cricket. In the IPL 2024, he got 19 wickets in 13 games for the champions Kolkata Knight Riders. He can be a useful surprise for India on this Australia tour. 

Talking about the surprise, Nitish Reddy can be another option in the form of a pace-bowling all-rounder, which is important in the SENA countries. He and Prasidh Krishna reportedly troubled the Indian batters. 

Rohit Sharma to miss the first Test against Australia

Veteran India cricketer KL Rahul said that he is looking forward to the IPL mega auction, adding that he would be happy to return to Royal Challengers Bengaluru and play at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium as well. Rahul also said that he is looking forward to playing for a team where is 'loved and respected' after parting ways with his old franchise, Lucknow Super Giants.

However, in a shocking move, LSG decided not to retain KL Rahul for the 2025 season, ending a three-year association with him as well. Rahul is back in the mix for the mega auction, slated to be held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on November 24 and 25 as well. And, Rahul is expected to have a bidding war for him.

"I most enjoyed playing at RCB. It’s home. You get to spend a lot of time to spend at home. I know the Chinnaswamy really well, I have grown up playing there. So, yeah, I really enjoyed playing at RCB," KL Rahul told Star Sports in an interview ahead of the auction. "Of course (Would you like to be back at RCB?) Bengaluru is home. People there know me as a local Kannada boy. Would be nice to go back there and get an opportunity. But, yeah, it’s an auction year, you can go anywhere," he said.

"I would never go and ask someone for it (captaincy)" - KL Rahul

However, KL Rahul also said that captaincy would not be a 'make or break' for him, claiming he is open to being flexible at his new franchise.

"I would never go and ask someone for it (captaincy). If you feel that my leadership skills are good enough, and you find something good in the way I play my cricket, in the way I handle myself and in the way that I handled the teams that I've captained in the last four or five years, and if you find it worthy, then, of course, I'm happy to do it, but it's not something that is a make-a-break for me," Rahul said.

SEE ALSO: Watch: Rohit Sharma's Playful 'Rohit Bhai RCB Me Aa Jao Yaar' Query Goes Viral

"I just want to be part of a team that has a good environment, and you feel loved, cared for and respected in that environment and everyone on that franchise as a one, like one single goal to win. If that's there, then that's a perfect fit. I have always been flexible in my head, whether it's opening, whether middle order, the lower-order, keeping, fielding any of it. I am okay with any rule or any responsibility that is given to me," he further added.

"I just felt like I wanted to start fresh" - KL Rahul

However, KL Rahul, who led the LSG in the last three seasons, opened up on his exit from the franchise, saying that he wanted to move on to a 'lighter' team environment where he could find 'more freedom'.

"I just felt like I wanted to start fresh, to explore my options, and to play where I could find more freedom and a lighter, more balanced team atmosphere. The pressure in the IPL is already so high, but when you look at teams like Gujarat and CSK, even when they win or lose, they seem balanced, and their dressing rooms are calm. That’s really important for me as a player—it gives all the players the best chance to perform," he added. "We tried to create that atmosphere at LSG with Andy Flower and GG (Gautam Gambhir) initially, and then last year with Justin, and it was a brilliant atmosphere in the change room. But sometimes you just need to move on and find something that works better for you."

Indian cricketer KL Rahul finally opened up about his non-retention for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) before the IPL 2025 mega auction. 

In the IPL 2022 mega auction, LSG bought KL Rahul. He was the captain of the team in their first three seasons. Rahul is the only LSG batter to score 1000 runs for the team. The right-handed batter scored 1410 runs in 38 games for the team with an average of 41.47 and a strike rate of 130.67, including two centuries and 10 half-centuries. 

Last season, LSG finished in the seventh position, while they reached the playoffs and played Eliminators in their first two seasons.  

Although Rahul’s exit from the LSG team was highly expected, the decision is still hardly understandable.  

SEE ALSO: Rohit Sharma to miss first Test against Australia in Perth

I wanted to explore my options: KL Rahul

Talking about Rahul’s exit from LSG, the former IPL skipper clarified that he wanted a fresh start and to explore other strong and suitable options in the game. 

Rahul told Star Sports, "I wanted to start fresh, I wanted to explore my options, and I wanted to go and play where I could find some freedom. Team atmosphere would be lighter; sometimes you just need to move away and find something good for yourself, and I have been out of the T20 team for a while." 

My aim is obviously to get back into the T20 team: KL Rahul

Rahul last represented the Indian T20I side in November 2022, during the semi-final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 against England. He openly admitted that he wanted to return to the T20I side. 

Rahul added, "I know where I stand as a player, and I know what I need to do to get back. I look forward to this IPL season to give me that platform to go back and enjoy my cricket. My aim is obviously to get back into the T20 team."

KL Rahul won the Orange Cap in the IPL 2021 when he was serving for Punjab Kings. While he was the second-most run-scorer in the IPL 2022, he was in seventh place in the IPL 2024 (Rahul missed almost half of the IPL 2023 due to injury). 

Since IPL 2017, Rahul is the leading run-scorer in IPL. It shows his consistent performances and strong dependable ability with the bat. Without any doubt, he will create an auction war between teams in the upcoming mega auction.

The Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) is one of the most popular IPL franchises. The franchise has been a part of the IPL since its inception, having competed in all 17 seasons of the lucrative competition. However, it is currently awaiting its first title. Before the IPL 2025 major auctions, which are expected to occur later this month, RCB retained three players: Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, and Yash Dayal.

RCB will have three Right To Match (RTM) cards available in the mega auctions, and the franchise owners are hoping to bring back as many players as possible. The squad has had a great 2024 season and wants to convert their maiden IPL title with a significant team restructuring from the Mega Auction, as they have the potential to acquire top players from the under-the-hammer roster. Here are the five top-player recommendations for the side to target in the forthcoming 2025 IPL Mega Auction. 

KL Rahul

KL Rahul will be one of the targets of the loyal fanbase-backed squad in the IPL 2025 Mega Auction for apparent reasons. Rahul had a fantastic IPL 2016 with RCB. However, he missed the 2017 season due to injuries and was released before the 2018 Mega Auction. He later played for the Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) and Lucknow Super Giants, but he could return to his home franchise, which has only kept three players, including a colossal purchasing purse.

Rahul has always been liked by the RCB faithful, partly because he is from Bengaluru, and the team is in dire need of a reliable wicketkeeper batter. Fans should anticipate that RCB will bid quite expensively for Rahul in the blockbuster auction. In the 2024 edition, he has made a commendable 520 runs in 14 matches with four half-centuries.

Mitchell Starc

RCB has historically struggled with a reliable bowling attack, which has been overlooked by their dynamic batting lineup, and Mitchell Starc can help address that gap. Starc's ability to perform in high-pressure circumstances and his previous stint with RCB in 2015 suggest he might be the missing piece in RCB's quest for their first IPL victory. His expertise and talent in T20 cricket make him an excellent choice to command their bowling unit.

In IPL 2024, as the most expensive player in the tournament ever, Starc demonstrated his brilliance by collecting crucial wickets and maintaining an exceptional economy rate during playoffs, further cementing his worth to a club needing bowling consistency. In his triumphant 2024 campaign with the Kolkata Knight Riders, he has taken 17 wickets in 14 matches. 

Will Jacks

Will Jacks, another major player for RCB in the 2024 season, had a massive influence after replacing Maxwell in the playing XI. Jack's ability to dominate pacers and spinners and his helpful spin bowling may urge RCB to utilise their RTM to keep him. With his swashbuckling style, he can restore the team's batting glory days, as they have the opportunity to win their first title through a restructure in the upcoming Mega Auction.

In eight matches, the 25-year-old English all-rounder scored 230 runs at a fantastic 175.57 strike rate, including a spectacular 41-ball century against the Gujarat Titans.

Also Read: IPL 2025: 5 players Mumbai Indians should target for in the upcoming IPL Mega Auction

Mohammed Siraj

Mohammed Siraj, who has been at RCB since 2018, was also included on the list of players revealed ahead of the mega auction. Siraj grabbed 15 wickets in 14 IPL 2024 matches while maintaining a solid economy rate of 9.19 economy. But as they say, every player has a rough patch in their sporting stint; Siraj will be desperate to come back with a bang through the fierce and intense 2025 IPL.

He is well-known for his ability to take wickets with the new ball, but his recent improvements at death bowling make him an invaluable asset. RCB may use their RTM option to bring him back, as they need a reliable Indian pacer who can spearhead the team's bowling attack and align with its goals by being aware of the Indian conditions. 

Rachin Ravindran

Rachin Ravindra, the all-rounder from New Zealand, is one of cricket's hottest prospects, making him a priority target for several prominent teams in the forthcoming IPL 2025 big auction. He had a terrific time with CSK throughout the 2024 IPL season, but now that they have opted not to put him on the retention list, RCB might consider him a top-order alternative to Virat Kohli.

Ravindra has the talent and skill to adjust to varied circumstances with the bat and ball, which should serve him well regardless of where he ends up in the next edition. Though he had a mediocre debut IPL sit-in with the Chennai Super Kings by scoring just 222 runs in ten games, his awareness of the Indian conditions would act as the major USP for the team to acquire his services. 

Indian cricketer KL Rahul is fighting to earn his spot in the Indian Test playing XI. However, the right-handed batter stunned everyone with his bizarre dismissal during the unofficial Test match against Australia A.

India A are playing against Australia A in the last game of the two-match unofficial Test series. India A started their second innings of the second game at MCG by trailing 62 runs, and KL Rahul opened with Abhimanyu Easwaran. Both the players are fighting for the opening spot for the five-match Test series opener against the hosts Australia, as captain Rohit Sharma is doubtful for the first Test. 

While Easwaran scored a duck in the first innings, Rahul only managed to score four runs in that innings. 

Once again, Easwaran failed to impress, as he was out for 17 runs during India A’s second innings. Meanwhile, KL Rahul was trying hard to stay in the crease while he didn’t get a solid partner at the other end.

What was KL Rahul thinking?

While India A were struggling at 44/3, Rahul had a bafflement. Facing the off-spinner Corey Rocchiccioli, Rahul took the delivery casually, which was going towards the leg side. However, the ball hit the top of his left pad, changed the direction, and took off the off-stump bail.

"Don't know what he was thinking!"

Oops... that's an astonishing leave by KL Rahul 😱 #AUSAvINDA pic.twitter.com/e4uDPH1dzz

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) November 8, 2024

It was completely a poor and baffling dismissal. Even the commentators were asking what Rahul was thinking there. The right-handed batter was dismissed for 10 runs off 44 balls as India A were struggling at 44/4. 

Dhruv Jurel, who scored the fighting 80-run knock in the first innings to help India A score 161 runs, is battling once again in the second innings as he was not out for 19 runs at the stumps of the day where India A were struggling at 73/5 with a lead of 11 runs.

Rahul and Easwaran both disappointed

After scoring 0 and 12 during the Bengaluru Test against New Zealand, it was Rahul’s first game where he was dismissed for four and 10 runs. As the uncapped Abhimanyu Easwaran also failed in his four innings for India A in the ongoing Australia tour, where he scored 7, 12, 0, and 17, team India will struggle to choose the opening partner of Yashsavi Jaiswal for the first Test, where the captain’s presence is doubtful. 

Star India batter KL Rahul's return as an opener for India-A in the second unofficial Test against Australia-A in Melbourne ended poorly as he got out for a mere 4-run on November 7, Thursday. Rahul, who was part of the India squad for the recently-concluded series against New Zealand, found a place in the Test squad in Australia.

However, the move was made to provide KL Rahul and Dhruv Jurel with some game time before the much-awaited first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Perth. Rahul had only played the first Test against New Zealand, and despite getting backed by the management, he was dropped for the matches in Pune and Mumbai due to his poor form with the bat as well. Rahul was out for scores of 0 and 12 in the Bengaluru Test and the ongoing game in Melbourne was important for him to be there in the squad as well.

KL Rahul failed to step up

Considering the fact that Rohit Sharma is unlikely to play the Perth Test, the India batter had a chance to step up and get himself sealed at the opener's spot, where he had scored 2551 runs as well. However, India-A's start on Thursday was far from ideal as they found themselves in trouble in the very first over.

However, Michael Neser dismissed both Abhimanyu Easwaran and Sai Sudharsan off consecutive deliveries to leave the visitors 4 for 2 after the first over as well. Rahul started his innings with a stunning boundary off Scott Boland, but the happiness for the fans didn't last long as the Indian batter got out in the 3rd ball of the over, which left India-A struggling in the middle at 11 for 3 as well.

SEE ALSO: Watch: Rohit Sharma's Playful 'Rohit Bhai RCB Me Aa Jao Yaar' Query Goes Viral

Meanwhile, Neser picked up his third wicket in the form of captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, whose poor form with the bat in Australia continued after his twin failures in the first unofficial Test as well.

Dhruv Jurel shone with the bat

However, Devdutt Padikkal and Dhruv Jurel tried to steady the ship for India-A with a 53-run stand in Melbourne as well. Padikkal scored a steady knock of 26 from 55 balls but he was dismissed by Neser just before lunch. Jurel, on the other hand, tried to hold the fort as India-A went into lunch at 65 for 5 with Nitish Kumar Reddy also in the middle. Jurel shined with the bat with a stunning knock of 80 runs as none of the batters could contribute much.

Neser claimed 4 wickets while Webster picked up 3 wickets and bundled India A out for 161 runs as well. While chasing, Australia A too lost 2 wickets and they scored 53 for 2 before stumps.

Indian cricketers KL Rahul and Dhruv Jurel have been added to the India A squad ahead of the second unofficial Test against the hosts Australia A.

Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) will host the Australia A vs India A second unofficial Test match, starting on Thursday (November 7). KL Rahul and Dhruv Jurel, the senior Indian squad members for the upcoming Australia tour for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, were sent earlier than the other members to get proper match practice.  

Australia A won the first unofficial Test against India A by seven wickets. While India A were all out for only 107 runs in the first innings of the match, they fought bravely in their second innings. Sai Sudharsan (103) and Devdutt Padikkal (88) performed well in the second innings but India A were all out for 312 runs as they set up a fourth innings target of 225 runs. 

SEE ALSO: Virat Kohli slips lowest Test batting rankings in last 10 years

Rahul and Easwaran have the chance to earn an opportunity  

As Rahul and Jurel have officially joined the India A team, both are expected to play the second unofficial Test against Australia A. Rahul is expected to open for India A along with the vice-captain uncapped Abhimanyu Easwaran. Both are in the senior Indian full-member Test squad. 

As captain Rohit Sharma is doubtful for the five-match Test series opener against the hosts Australia, Rahul and Easwaran both have great opportunities to perform well and earn the other spot of Yashasvi Jaiswal's opening partner. As the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024/25 will be a five-match Test series, starting on November 22, they can get more opportunities. 

Prasidh Krishna already replaced Yash Dayal

Meanwhile, Prasidh Krishna was earlier added to the India A squad as a replacement for Yash Dayal. Dayal is in the Indian T20I squad that will play a four-match T20I series against the hosts South Africa, starting on November 8. On the other hand, Prasidh Krishna has already been selected in the full-member Indian squad for the upcoming Test series against the hosts Australia. 

India A updated squad for the Australia tour

Ruturaj Gaikwad (C), Abhimanyu Easwaran (vc), Sai Sudharsan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Devdutt Padikkal, Ricky Bhui, Baba Indrajith, Ishan Kishan (wk), Abishek Porel (wk), Mukesh Kumar, Khaleel Ahmed, Navdeep Saini, Manav Suthar, Tanush Kotian, Prasidh Krishna, KL Rahul, Dhruv Jurel (wk).

India’s KL Rahul and Dhruv Jurel are scheduled to fly to Australia ahead of the main squad to secure valuable match practice before India’s five-Test series against Australia, set to commence on November 22 in Perth. Both batters will feature in the India A team for their second and final four-day match against Australia A, which will take place at the MCG starting on November 7. The India A squad, led by Ruturaj Gaikwad, aims to make a strong comeback after a seven-wicket loss in the first match in Mackay, which ended controversially due to a ball-change issue. This additional game will allow Rahul and Jurel to get familiar with the challenging Australian conditions before joining the senior team for the main series.

Rahul and Jurel head to Australia early for crucial practice

Rahul, who has struggled to find form in recent Test outings, is looking to regain his confidence after being left out of India's XI for the second and third Tests against New Zealand. He was replaced by Shubman Gill, with whom the management seems keen to experiment following a 3-0 defeat at home. For Jurel, this early opportunity is equally crucial as he attempts to establish his place in India’s Test plans. Having last played in the Test series against England, Jurel has not featured in the five home Tests since Rishabh Pant’s return. With limited red-ball exposure, Jurel's recent outings have included a Duleep Trophy match and a notable 93-run innings in the Irani Cup, showcasing his potential to make a comeback.

India's preparations under Rohit’s strategic approach

Sending Rahul and Jurel ahead signifies India’s intent to maximize match practice. Originally, the Indian team had planned an intra-squad warm-up fixture in Perth to acclimate, but captain Rohit Sharma explained the change in plans, emphasizing the need for focused match simulations instead. The team, he reasoned, would benefit more from these dedicated simulations than a conventional practice game. "We’re traveling with a 19-man squad and have just three days. A practice game won’t offer everyone adequate time," Rohit noted, adding that simulation sessions allow batters and bowlers to gain the middle time they need to prepare rigorously.

See Also: Australian Summer Kicks off with Starc’s fiery spell against Pakistan

The Indian squad, departing on November 10, will train at Perth’s iconic WACA ground ahead of the Test series opener at Optus Stadium, a venue where they last played in 2018-19, securing a memorable 2-1 series win. Notably, captain Rohit Sharma may be unavailable for the opening match due to personal reasons, leaving Abhimanyu Easwaran, who has been in excellent domestic form, as a potential opener. Easwaran, who was drafted as Rohit's replacement, has already had a taste of Australian conditions but managed only modest scores in the first A game.

India’s five-Test series in Australia marks a significant challenge, and with star players joining early and meticulous training plans, the team is working to be well-prepared for this high-stakes tour.