"You went till ₹23 crore for Venky Iyer and didn't come to me till ₹12 crore" - Aakash Chopra on KL Rahul's message to RCB after DC's IPL 2025 win

Former India player Aakash Chopra has lauded KL Rahul for playing a match-winning knock in the Delhi Capitals' (DC) IPL 2025 clash against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). He opined that the wicketkeeper-batter's victory celebration was potentially a message to RCB that they erred by not picking him at the IPL 2025 auction.

DC restricted RCB to 163/7 in Match 24 of IPL 2025 in Bengaluru on Thursday, April 10. Rahul scored an unbeaten 93 off 53 deliveries in the chase to help the visitors achieve the target with six wickets and 13 deliveries to spare.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra', the former India opener noted that Rahul showed RCB they were wrong in showing more interest in Venkatesh Iyer than him in the mega auction.

"KL Rahul's batting. He was the Player of the Match. He made a ground, a circle, and then planted his bat in the middle, and said this is his area and he reigns there. He would have been hurt. Rahul even used to put his fingers in his ears to keep the outside noise out. However, he would have been seeing and hearing everything, enduring and swallowing it," Chopra said (10:30).

"When they won the match, he said - 'I started here, I was with you, but you let me go. It's fine if you let me go then, but this time when I came in the auction, you had money as well. You went till ₹23 crore for Venky Iyer and didn't come to me till ₹12 crore. You don't value my skill set. So I will take it upon myself to change the game for you,'" he added.

RCB were willing to spend a massive amount for Venkatesh Iyer at the IPL 2025 auction, but the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) outbid them by acquiring the left-handed batter for ₹23.75 crore. The Bengaluru-based franchise pulled out after making initial bids for KL Rahul at the mega auction, with DC eventually acquiring the Karnataka batter for ₹14 crore.

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"It was best vs best" - Aakash Chopra on KL Rahul's attack on Josh Hazlewood in DC's IPL 2025 win vs RCB

KL Rahul struck seven fours and six sixes in his unbeaten 93-run knock. [P/C: iplt20.com]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra noted that there was a crucial contest between KL Rahul and Josh Hazlewood during the Delhi Capitals' chase.

"He got a life. It was a difficult catch that Rajat Patidar dropped. However, after that, the shots he played, we saw kamaal Rahul's lajawab form. He played beautifully. However, a small battle comes in a big battle at times. A slight drizzle came. There, an over was given to Hazlewood, and KL Rahul was in front of him. It was best vs best," he said (11:45).

The cricketer-turned-analyst added that the DC batter's attack on the RCB pacer virtually sealed the game in his side's favor.

"If a wicket had fallen at that stage or those many runs had not been scored, Delhi would have been behind the DLS score. This was Josh vs Rahul, and Rahul played book cricket, hitting fours, doubles, and a six. It was a massive over, and you went ahead of the DLS score. It didn't rain, but that over sealed the deal," Chopra elaborated.

KL Rahul smashed 22 runs off a Josh Hazlewood over when DC needed 16 runs to match the DLS par score. He smoked the Australian seamer for three fours and a six, apart from taking two runs twice, to put his side in an advantageous position.