"Won't be able to survive the entire season in 2025 if he doesn't score runs consistently" - Aakash Chopra on DC vs LSG IPL 2025 clash

Ahead of the Delhi Capitals' (DC) IPL 2025 clash against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), former India opener Aakash Chopra has opined that their last year's hero Jake Fraser-McGurk might not remain in their XI if he is not among the runs. He also wondered where KL Rahul would be slotted in the DC batting lineup.

The Capitals host LSG in the two sides' IPL 2025 opener in Visakhapatnam on Monday, March 24. Fraser-McGurk had smashed 330 runs at a strike rate of 234.04 in nine innings in IPL 2024 but hasn't been in great form lately.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra', the former India opener reckoned that Rahul's batting position and Fraser-McGurk's form are the biggest question marks for DC ahead of their IPL 2025 clash against LSG.

"The overarching theme is where would KL Rahul bat. Will Abishek Porel play at No. 3 as he is the only left-hander possible, or else you will have to send Axar Patel up the order? KL Rahul would play very well if he were to play as an opener. No. 3 is the last number I am thinking, because you have Jake Fraser-McGurk and Faf du Plessis," Chopra said (7:45).

"Just like (Phil) Salt returned to form, Jake Fraser-McGurk might too, but it will be worth watching, or else the ultimate explosive batter of 2024 won't be able to survive the entire season in 2025 if he doesn't score runs consistently. So Jake Fraser-McGurk's form and KL Rahul's number will be in focus," he added.

However, Aakash Chopra opined that Faf du Plessis, Jake Fraser-McGurk's likely opening partner, would be among the runs in IPL 2025 as he is a T20 journeyman and would figure out a way. He also expressed curiosity to see the Delhi Capitals' XI, wondering whether Karun Nair would get a place and if they have enough depth in batting for the death overs.

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"They have a lot of concerns" - Aakash Chopra on LSG ahead of IPL 2025 clash vs DC

Mitchell Marsh will not bowl for LSG in IPL 2025. [P/C: Getty]

Turning his attention to the Lucknow Super Giants, Aakash Chopra opined that the choice of openers would be their first concern ahead of their IPL 2025 clash against the Delhi Capitals.

"They have a lot of concerns. They have to first figure out their openers. Mitchell Marsh is available as a batter. They have Aiden Markram and Matthew Breetzke. You want to play two out of these three, but from where will you get the Indian bowling for that?" he said (9:20) in the same video.

The cricketer-turned-analyst reckoned that LSG skipper Rishabh Pant shouldn't open against his former side.

"Where will Rishabh Pant bat? There were even discussions on whether Rishabh Pant can open. He can, he is the captain, but will he? Not required, to be very honest. So both Delhi and Lucknow might have two overseas openers. It's possible, unless LSG don't find enough Indian bowlers," Chopra observed.

To conclude, Aakash Chopra noted that LSG's biggest concern could be their seam-bowling attack, with Avesh Khan, Akash Deep and Mayank Yadav being injured ahead of IPL 2025, and Mohsin Khan having already been replaced by Shardul Thakur. He added that the franchise might be forced to play Shamar Joseph if they lack fit Indian seamers.