After Harry Book’s absence, Delhi Capitals suffer another setback for IPL 2025

KL Rahul, the star batter for Delhi Capitals, could miss the first two matches of IPL 2025 as he prepares to welcome his first child with his wife, Athiya Shetty. The cricketer, who has been a key player in India’s ODI and Test teams, announced his wife’s pregnancy shortly after India’s successful Champions Trophy campaign earlier this month.

Alyssa Healy, Australia women’s captain and wife of Mitchell Starc, who recently joined the Capitals’ camp, revealed that Rahul might not be available for the opening games. She shared this insight while previewing the franchise on the LiSTNR Sports YouTube channel.

“With Harry Brook unavailable, seeing who steps in as his replacement will be interesting. KL Rahul is part of the squad, though he might miss the first couple of games as he awaits the birth of his child. That dynamic adds an interesting element to the team,” Healy remarked.

“They have explosive young talents, but also someone like KL Rahul, who can anchor the innings in T20 cricket. Watching him play will be exciting.”

KL RAHUL set to miss first couple of matches #IPL2025 pic.twitter.com/HS7vQJbUU7

— Sanskar Gupta (@Sanskar7701) March 20, 2025

Rahul was released by Lucknow Super Giants and purchased by the Capitals for INR 12 crore in the IPL 2025 auction. In a notable move, Rishabh Pant, who captained the Capitals and began his career with the franchise, joined LSG for a record INR 27 crore.

The two teams are set to face off in their opening match on March 24, but it seems Rahul will miss the game in Visakhapatnam.

There had been considerable speculation regarding Delhi Capitals’ captaincy following Rahul’s acquisition, with him being one of the frontrunners to take over the leadership from Pant. Ultimately, the franchise named Axar Patel, who has been with the team since 2019, as their captain for the new season.

Faf du Plessis, another new addition to the squad, was appointed as vice-captain after leading Royal Challengers Bangalore for three years

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