‘He will take Rs 18 crore for sure in IPL auction’: Aakash Chopra suggests Lucknow Super Giants to retain KL Rahul and Nicholas Pooran – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra has suggested that Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) should prioritize retaining KL Rahul and Nicholas Pooran ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Chopra emphasized that Rahul, who scored 520 runs in IPL 2024, should be the team’s first choice for retention.
“The first is KL Rahul because you want to make him the captain, and he is the face of the franchise,” Chopra said.”You won’t get him for 18 crores in any case. If KL Rahul goes to the auction, he will take 18 crores for sure, and you don’t leave the captain in any case.”
Chopra also pointed out the importance of securing Nicholas Pooran, who LSG acquired for Rs 16 crore during the last auction. He praised Pooran’s consistent performances in T20 cricket and called him a must-retain player.
“At No. 2, I would say Nicholas Pooran, who they gave 16 crores last time. The sort of performances he has given in T20 cricket—don’t even think about it, you have to retain him,” he added.
For the third retention, Chopra leaned toward Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis, highlighting his previous retention and game-changing abilities: “The third I am thinking of is Marcus Stoinis because they had retained him for 10 crores earlier, and he is that game-changer kind of a player.”
Chopra also mentioned Mayank Yadav as a potential uncapped retention, depending on his status in the upcoming T20I series against Bangladesh.