‘If he goes to the auction, he will get Rs 18 crore’- Aakash Chopra tips KL Rahul to bag a grand deal

With the player regulations having been released a few days ago, the anticipation for the mega-auction is growing. To increase the excitement, the franchises have been given till October 31 to finalise their retentions for the 18th Indian Premier League season.

In a recent conversation, former Indian batter Aakash Chopra talked about the future of Lucknow Super Giants captain KL Rahul. Additionally, he made the argument that Rahul ought to remain on the team, in contrast to the opinions of many others who believe LSG should cut him.

“KL Rahul is first. Given that he represents the team, you should designate him as captain. For Rs 18 crore, you are not going to get him. To be honest, he will receive Rs 18 crore if he attends the auction. You never leave the captain, anyway. That’s crucial for continuity,” Chopra stated on his official YouTube account.

LSG would like to keep Mayank Yadav on staff.

The ex-Kolkata Knight Riders player talked about Mayank Yadav, the tearaway speedster, and his case as well. He also explained why, rather than just keeping him, LSG would need to obtain him by using the Right To Match card. Rahul has scored more than 500 runs in two of his three seasons at LSG (616 in IPL 2022 and 520 in IPL 2024), but many analysts have criticised him for playing in a “selfish” manner, citing his moderate strike-rate as one of the key signs.

“They would have desired to keep Mayank Yadav, but there would be little benefit to doing so if he were to win the India cap. The Right To Match card is available for usage,” Chopra said.

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Nevertheless, it is indisputable that LSG would not wish to remove Rahul’s leadership. He also has the ability to play as dynamically as any of the other available traditional T20I hitters.