The IPL 2025 mega auction is just around the corner, scheduled to take place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on November 24 and 25. Ahead of the auction, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) has shown interest in KL Rahul. The franchise shared a video of the star batsman on its social media handle, showing him taking on Australian bowlers. The video has sparked discussions that RCB may bid for the batsman in the upcoming auction.
RCB Shows Love for KL Rahul
RCB posted a video of KL Rahul’s impressive batting on their ‘X’ (formerly Twitter) handle, where he can be seen playing a stunning straight drive. The franchise captioned it, “Classy Rahul, as we all know him.” RCB also shared a picture of the experienced player, fueling speculation that they may be interested in him for the mega auction.
KL Rahul Released by LSG
Ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) released KL Rahul. The franchise retained five players: Nicholas Pooran (₹21 crore), Ravi Bishnoi (₹11 crore), Mayank Yadav (₹11 crore), Mohsin Khan (₹4 crore), and Ayush Badoni (₹4 crore). Rahul, who was the captain of LSG, had a subpar performance in the previous season, scoring only 520 runs in 14 matches with a strike rate of 136.13. His underwhelming performance is believed to be the reason for his release by the franchise.
KL Rahul Expresses Desire to Play for RCB
Recently, KL Rahul talked about his decision to part ways with LSG, revealing that he wanted a fresh start. During the conversation, he expressed his desire to play for RCB. Speaking to Star Sports, he said, “I enjoyed playing for RCB the most. It feels like home. You get a lot of time to spend at home. I know Chinnaswamy very well. I grew up playing there.”
KL Rahul’s Previous Stints with RCB
KL Rahul started his IPL career with Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) before moving to Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in 2014 and 2015. He returned to RCB in 2016, but due to an injury, he didn’t play in 2017. From 2018 to 2021, he played for Punjab Kings (formerly Kings XI Punjab). After that, he was given the captaincy of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), where he played from 2022 to 2024. Now, with LSG releasing him, his next move could be with RCB.
KL Rahul Shines in Australia
KL Rahul is currently on the Australian tour, where he is playing in the ongoing match in Perth. On the second day of the match, he delivered a strong performance. Opening the batting with Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rahul contributed to a 172-run partnership, with both batsmen scoring half-centuries, helping India gain a 218-run lead. In the first innings, Rahul also made a solid contribution, scoring 26 runs with the help of three boundaries.