The much-anticipated debut of KL Rahul for Delhi Capitals was put on hold as the star batter was notably absent from the playing XI in their IPL 2025 season opener against his former team, Lucknow Super Giants, at the ACA-VDCA Stadium in Visakhapatnam on Monday.
While cricket fans eagerly waited to see Rahul don the DC colors for the first time, the 31-year-old had a far more important milestone to celebrate – the birth of his first child. Rahul and his wife, Bollywood actress Athiya Shetty, welcomed a baby girl on Monday, with Athiya later confirming the joyous news via social media.
The Delhi Capitals management had granted Rahul special permission to miss the fixture, with reports indicating he rushed back to Mumbai on Sunday night to be with his wife during this significant personal moment.
At the toss, Delhi Capitals’ new captain Axar Patel chose to bowl first against the Rishabh Pant-led Lucknow Super Giants, citing the potential dew factor as a key consideration.
“We are going to bowl first. It’s the dew factor, we don’t want to take any risk, that’s why we are bowling first,” Axar explained. “I have played with Pant before, he knows me and I know him. We know our tricks. I have played a lot for the Capitals, we have a well-balanced side.”
Speaking about his transition to captaincy, Axar added: “I have been with DC for three years and part of the leadership group. I need to work accordingly and think like a leader.”
The Capitals’ captain also confirmed their four overseas selections for the match: “Faf du Plessis, Tristan Stubbs, Mitchell Starc, and Fraser McGurk are our four overseas players.”
While Axar did not directly address Rahul’s absence during the toss interview, the franchise had already made arrangements to accommodate the significant personal event in their star acquisition’s life.
Rahul, who was one of DC’s marquee signings during the auction after his departure from Lucknow Super Giants, is expected to rejoin the squad ahead of their second fixture against Sunrisers Hyderabad on March 30.
The stylish right-hander remains a crucial component of Delhi’s batting plans for the season, with fans now having to wait just a little longer to see him in action for his new team.