The IPL 2025 season is off to an electrifying start, with an intriguing face-off between two former captains — KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant — as Delhi Capitals (DC) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) clash in Visakhapatnam, DC's second home, on Monday evening.
Rahul and Pant: Switching Loyalties in IPL 2025
The IPL has never lacked confrontation of players with their former teams, but this season sees an extra addition of spice. KL Rahul, erstwhile captain of LSG, now dons the jersey for DC while taking over LSG is Rishabh Pant, the most expensive auction signing in IPL. Their first meeting of this season has them locking horns against each other, further amusing the narrative that would easily entice not just die-hard fans of cricket but even online cricket betting players surfing their way through unpredictable matchups.
Rahul’s Departure from LSG: The Backstory
Rahul was seen in last few images captured of him at LSG before his animated conversation with Sanjiv Goenka, owner of LSG, after the team lost their match and left from IPL 2024. Thereafter, of course, came Goenka's 'it's going to be hard' conversation with Rahul about wanting players with a mindset who had it in them to win, to which Rahul countered that he wanted to feel "loved and cared for." So it ends, after which Rahul will prove his worth with DC and remind everyone that he is still capable of being a match-winner.
Pant Returns to Duty Now:
Outside of that, Pant is returning to IPL action after a life-threatening accident, along with heading the LSG while being pampered last season in this venue. This match goes beyond Rahul with Pant, as it symbolizes the resurrection of two teams redesigned with a reworked cast, changes in support staff, and new aspiration scenarios, which add to the intrigue for those exploring online cricket betting in India.
Squad Dynamics: Strengths and Challenges
Delhi Capitals (DC)
DC has made additions to their bowling unit with Mitchell Starc, Mohit Sharma, and T Natarajan, retaining the likes of Mukesh Kumar, Axar Patel, and Kuldeep Yadav. Thus, DC's revamped attack should pose a serious threat to LSG's batting lineup.
Probable DC XI:
- Jake Fraser-McGurk
- Faf du Plessis
- Abishek Porel
- KL Rahul (wk)
- Tristan Stubbs
- Axar Patel (capt)
- Ashutosh Sharma
- Sameer Rizvi/Mohit Sharma
- Kuldeep Yadav
- Mitchell Starc
- T Natarajan
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)
In the Indian pace attack, LSG, nonetheless, has injury concerns. Mayank Yadav, Avesh Khan, and Akash Deep are some of the players either injured or recovering. Shardul Thakur has been named as a replacement for Mohsin Khan, while the addition of Mitchell Marsh to LSG will strengthen the batting unit.
Probable LSG XI:
- Rishabh Pant (capt)
- Quinton de Kock
- Deepak Hooda
- Marcus Stoinis
- Nicholas Pooran
- David Miller
- Krunal Pandya
- Shardul Thakur
- Ravi Bishnoi
- Naveen-ul-Haq
- Yash Thakur
New Loyalties: Rahul and Pant in New Colors
Pant has played all 111 of his IPL games for DC since his debut in 2016, and Monday marks the first time he’ll face his former team. Rahul, who led LSG to consecutive playoffs, now has an opportunity to showcase his aggressive brand of cricket for DC. Their shifting loyalties make for a compelling narrative that is bound to influence betting odds and predictions on online cricket betting platforms.
Key Question: Where Should Pant Bat?
A big question surrounds Pant’s batting position. Data suggests that he could be best utilized at the top of the order, given that Nicholas Pooran and David Miller, two renowned spin-bashers, are more effective in the middle overs. Pooran, with a strike rate of 154.31 against spinners since IPL 2019, and Miller, who strikes at 135.38, provide LSG with depth that allows Pant to be more aggressive upfront.
Axar Patel and Shardul Thakur: Players to Watch
Axar Patel-Champions New Era of DCB
One of DC's retained stars is Axar Patel, taking India's T20 World Cup and Champions Trophy wins and returning back to the country as a full-time captain in IPL cricket. After having played a major role for India in the World Cup and Champions Trophy, he has played 23 domestic matches as captain in Gujarat but has never before led a team in the IPL.
Shardul Thakur - LSG's X-Factor
Shardul Thakur came out and bagged a late-blooming last-minute IPL call-up by the LSG for which he earned all this because of his impressive form in domestic cricket. Add abilities with the bat and ball, and Thakur becomes a huge figure for LSG this season with a point to prove after missing his county stint with Essex.
Pitch and Conditions: A High Scoring Venue Awaits
Visakhapatnam has had really high-scoring encounters in the past. Here, KKR scored 272 runs last year, and among all T20 matches held in this ground, the average run rate per over is 9.2-the third highest in Indian venues, only after Hyderabad and Bengaluru. Hence, for IPL betting fans, it may just mean mountains of high-scoring matches and nail-biting finishes ahead.
Upcoming Fixtures: What Lies Ahead
Delhi Capitals’ Next Matches:
- DC vs SRH (March 30) – Another home game in Visakhapatnam, which may test crowd loyalty as local boy Nitish Kumar Reddy plays for the “away” team.
- DC vs CSK (April 4) – An away fixture in Chennai against the defending champions.
Lucknow Super Giants’ Next Matches:
- LSG vs SRH (March 27) – A quick hop to Hyderabad for their next encounter.
- LSG vs PBKS (April 1) – Their first home game of the season in Lucknow.
Key Stats to Watch
- Win percentage for LSG-when batting first, 73%-the highest among all teams up to IPL 2022.
- DC's bowling economy is the poorest among all teams in IPL 2024, at an unsatisfactory 10.7; they better make a strong comeback this year.
- Rahul's record in IPL is 3958 runs since the IPL of 2018-the highest score any batter has made.
- Pooran's six-hitting in the first T20s: most sixes from 2024 onwards (187) with Heinrich Klaasen much behind with 117.
What This Means for Online Cricket Betting
With spectacular player exchanges, new captains, and active reconfiguration of squads, online cricket betting on IPL 2025 has never been so thrilling. There are lots of opportunities for online cricket bettors this time, be it on match winners, top batters, or highest runs scored, as this season heads toward unpredictability.
Buckle up for a ride of thrilling matches, changing loyalties, and realization of dreams as DC and LSG set sail into the IPL 2025!
