Vipraj Nigam provides a crucial update on KL Rahul ahead of DC vs SRH IPL 2025 match

Delhi Capitals (DC) all-rounder Vipraj Nigam has hinted at KL Rahul's return to the playing XI in their Indian Premier League (IPL) match against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Visakhapatnam on Sunday, March 30. The 32-year-old right-handed batter had missed DC's IPL 2025 opening clash against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on Monday, March 24.

He had received special permission from the DC management to be with his wife Athiya Shetty, who was expected to give birth soon.

"Definitely. And this time, we also have KL Rahul back in the team, which will bring a lot more balance. You can't judge a team based on just one match. All our players are experienced and very capable, and hopefully, we will perform well in this match," Nigam said in a press conference on Saturday, March 29 [Via India Today].

Nigam played a crucial hand in DC's chase of 210 runs, making 39 runs off 15 balls. He thanked the DC coaching staff for their support and called his debut IPL match as "a very good experience overall."

"Honestly, I’m very thankful to the coaching staff and captain for the trust they showed in me and for the conversations we had. Yes, there was a bit of nervousness initially, but that’s natural. Once I got on the field, bowled a few overs, and fielded for a while, I settled down. It turned out to be a very good experience overall," Nigam said.

KL Rahul blessed with baby girl

On Monday, March 24, Rahul announced on social media that Shetty had given birth to a baby girl. Rahul's DC teammates congratulated the couple on becoming parents with a heartwarming video. The 32-year-old responded to the video, thanking them for the gesture.

Rahul was bought by the franchise for ₹14 crore at the IPL mega auction in November 2024. He had admitted that watching the IPL auction had been a "nerve-wracking experience" for him and felt that the auction could pose "unexpected challenges" for a player.

DC's match against SRH next Sunday will be their second and final home match at Visakhapatnam. Their next home match will be against Mumbai Indians (MI) at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on April 13.

Following their match against SRH on Sunday, DC will play two more away matches against Chennai Super Kings (April 5) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (April 10).