KL Rahul’s Tough Decision: Choosing an IPL 2025 Teammate
KL Rahul, the Team India batter, found himself in a bit of a pickle during a recent interview when he was asked to pick his IPL 2025 teammate from three of the biggest names in Indian cricket – Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and MS Dhoni. The twist? While Rohit, Kohli, and Dhoni have all been retained by their respective franchises, Rahul was released by Lucknow Super Giants (LSG).
Rahul, who captained LSG from 2022 to 2024, led the team to the playoffs in 2022 and 2023, but they could not make it all the way. However, in 2024, things didn’t go well for the team, and they ended up finishing seventh in the points table. While Rohit stays with Mumbai Indians, Kohli with Royal Challengers Bangalore, and Dhoni with Chennai Super Kings, Rahul is now set to go into the IPL mega auction with the highest base price of ₹2 crore.
In an interview with Star Sports, the 32-year-old was asked to pick one of these three legends as his IPL teammate for 2025, in a segment called ‘KL in a pickle’. The question seemed to leave Rahul in a dilemma, as he said, “I don’t know. It’s a tough one. This is a real pickle you have put me in. I have enjoyed playing with all of them. Very tough to answer.” It was clear that the decision wasn’t easy for him, and he struggled to pick just one.
On the IPL run-scoring front, Kohli (8,004) holds the record for the most runs in the IPL, while Rohit (6,628) is in third place. Dhoni (5,243) sits at sixth, and Rahul (4,683) is at 11th. Rahul has undoubtedly been a valuable asset in the IPL over the years, but the mega auction will give him a fresh opportunity to find a new franchise.
Gautam Gambhir Backs Rahul Amidst Criticism
Rahul’s recent form in the Test format has also been under the microscope. Despite facing criticism, former cricketer Gautam Gambhir has backed Rahul, saying that he has the ability to bat at multiple positions in the batting order – be it opening the innings, batting at No. 3, or even at No. 6. Gambhir highlighted that Rahul has the versatility to play in various roles, and even keep wickets in limited-overs formats, which is something many countries might not have in their squad.
Rahul was part of the Indian team that faced a 3-0 loss to New Zealand in the Test series at home. He had a poor run in the first Test in Bengaluru, scoring 0 & 12, which led to him being dropped for the remaining two matches. Despite doubts about his place in the squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia, Gambhir continued to support the struggling batter.
In a recent India A match against Australia A in Melbourne, Rahul did not have a great outing either, being dismissed for 4 & 10 as India A lost the match by six wickets. While it’s been a rough patch for Rahul, Gambhir’s backing shows that he still has faith in his abilities. Now, the focus will be on how Rahul bounces back in the upcoming IPL and beyond.
