KL Rahul makes a bold statement ahead of IPL auctions

KL Rahul makes a bold statement ahead of IPL auctions. (PTI Photo)

As the cricketing world gears up for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 auction, several top players are under scrutiny regarding their futures. KL Rahul, the Indian batter and captain of the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), is one such player. Rahul had a challenging IPL 2024 season, struggling both with the bat and in his role as captain. His exclusion from India's T20I plans further impacted his standing. As speculation mounts about Rahul's potential departure as LSG captain and possibly from the team altogether, he has subtly addressed IPL team owners.

In a conversation on Nitin Kamath's podcast, Rahul noted that IPL team owners, who often come from business backgrounds, rely heavily on data for player selection. However, he pointed out that data alone does not guarantee success.

"Owners coming from a business background in the IPL conduct research and select players based on data, but it doesn’t ensure victory in every game. You might choose the best player based on data, but they could still have a poor season. Every player can have a bad day in sport. There’s no guarantee of success in sport. There’s no formula that ensures success," Rahul said on the podcast.

Rahul also reflected on his Koffee With Karan episode with Hardik Pandya, which led to his suspension from the Indian team.

"The interview was a different world altogether. It changed me. I was a very shy, soft-spoken boy growing up. Then I played for India, and for the next three to four years, I became very confident. I had no issue being in large groups. People would know I had been in a room with 100 people because I would talk to everyone."

"Now I don’t, because the interview affected me significantly. Being suspended from the team... I had never been suspended in school, never faced punishment. It was something I wasn’t accustomed to, so I didn’t know how to handle it," he added.