Former India opener and cricket commentator Aakash Chopra has opined that Chennai Super Kings could be interested in getting KL Rahul for the much-talked-about IPL 2025 mega auction. Rahul left Lucknow Super Giants after three seasons, but, despite his successful tenure with the franchise, is now available. He had led LSG to the playoffs in both their first two seasons, in 2022 and 2023. Still, this was followed by a disappointing seventh-place finish in 2024 that made the team decide on letting him go and striking out in another direction.
Aakash Chopra Explains Why KL Rahul Is The Perfect Fit For CSK?
“What all do they need? I feel they need a successor to Dhoni, a wicketkeeper-batter and it’s great if they get an Indian. Everyone is saying, let me also say – he is more than 30 years old, is going to be a father very soon and everyone has written him off as well, so he is right for Chennai, that’s KL Rahul. So they will definitely go for KL Rahul,” Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube channel.
“We can’t say for how long they will go but they will try to acquire him because the franchise still has Rs 55 crore to be spent. So if they can get an Indian like him, Ishan Kishan or Rishabh Pant for Rs 10-15 crore, they are going to try. They might think about Shreyas Iyer for some time because they will need Indian batters to bat in those conditions,” Aakash added.
Rahul’s was the sole silver lining of LSG’s lackluster 2024 season, which again was a promising albeit talkative one. He scored 520 runs at a strike rate of 136.12. Speaking on the season, Rahul said that external pressures played a role in the poor team performance and added that he was looking forward to “playing freely in a more balanced setup.”
“The environment plays a crucial role in a team’s success. I’m now looking forward to playing with freedom in a more balanced setup,” KL Rahul said.
Ravichandran Ashwin Can Be A Good Addition For CSK
Aakash Chopra feels that the Indian should be a great addition to CSK, both because he could be a wicketkeeper-batter and also because he would be looked at to be an excellent captain. Chopra also said that CSK might look at bringing in veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, with whom he began his IPL stint, to supplement their team.
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“CSK has struggled with spin options apart from Ravindra Jadeja. Ashwin, who is also associated with CSK’s academy, could bring balance to their attack in what might be his final IPL cycle,” Chopra observed.
