"KL Rahul has gone off the boil" - Aakash Chopra on DC's concerns after IPL 2025 clash vs SRH
Former India player Aakash Chopra has highlighted the Delhi Capitals' (DC) batting issues after their IPL 2025 clash against the SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH). He noted that KL Rahul, the franchise's most consistent batter in their first few games, has also not been among the runs lately.
Rahul contributed 10 runs off 14 deliveries as DC managed only 133/7 against SRH in Match 55 of IPL 2025 in Hyderabad on Monday, May 5. However, rain and a wet outfield didn't allow the hosts to start their chase, with both teams resultantly getting a point apiece.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra', the former India opener pointed out that DC's batting is letting them down, with Rahul also going through a lean phase in their last few games.
"Your batting is not firing. You lost faith in Jake Fraser-McGurk. Faf du Plessis has hardly played one or two knocks. Karun Nair has played one knock. Abishek Porel has played two-and-a-half knocks. KL Rahul has played a few knocks. However, he has gone off the boil," he said (8:35).
Chopra wondered why the visitors hadn't taken a replacement for Harry Brook despite their batting struggles.
"After that, Ashutosh Sharma, Vipraj Nigam, Tristan Stubbs and Axar Patel. You weren't supposed to play a punt on them. Where is your replacement for Brook? They haven't taken one, and won't get it as well if they don't take it in the next two days. That story has ended for them," he observed.
Aakash Chopra opined that the Delhi Capitals might have difficulties going beyond 13 points, highlighting that their last three league games are against the Punjab Kings, the Gujarat Titans and the Mumbai Indians. He added that Axar Patel and company are unlikely to qualify for the IPL 2025 playoffs as they have lost steam completely.
"No matter how good the team is, if you don't play well, you have a problem" - Aakash Chopra on SRH's exit from IPL 2025
![The SunRisers Hyderabad became the third team eliminated from the IPL 2025 playoff race. [P/C: Getty]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/05/dd73e-17465046177205-1920.jpg?w=500)
As for the SRH's exit from IPL 2025, Aakash Chopra opined that last season's runners-up underperformed this year.
"Hyderabad's story is also over. Not only the match but their hopes were also rained off. Hyderabad won't make too many changes in the future. The team was good. However, no matter how good the team is, if you don't play well, you have a problem," he said in the same video.
Reflecting on Monday's game, the cricketer-turned-commentator reckoned that rain potentially denied Pat Cummins and company an easy win.
"Pat Cummins bowled extremely well here. In fact, it wasn't only Pat Cummins, as everyone bowled well. Ashutosh Sharma and Tristan Stubbs took the team to a fighting total, but that was about it. Hyderabad might have won this match easily had they got to bat," Chopra observed.
Pat Cummins (3/19) was SRH's most successful bowler in their IPL 2025 clash against DC. While Jaydev Unadkat (1/13), Harshal Patel (1/36) and Eshan Malinga (1/28) picked up a wicket apiece, Tristan Stubbs (41* off 36) and Ashutosh Sharma (41 off 26) were the only DC batters to score more than 20 runs.