DC Squad: It’s a very new look Delhi Capitals team that is heading into this fresh cycle beginning with the IPL 2025. It’s a 10th permanent captain in 18 years of the IPL’s history as Axar Patel takes over the mantle, the team unable to hang on to a local hero who made his breakthrough at this team as Rishabh Pant bid farewell ahead of the mega-auction. Axar leads a team which has some names the Delhi Capitals fans will be used to — Kuldeep Yadav and Tristan Stubbs having played key roles — but it’s otherwise a fresh, new unit, who will be looking to reverse the poor fortune of the team from the nation’s capital and re-write the script of this franchise’s history.
Delhi’s biggest purchases in the auction were KL Rahul and Mitchell Starc, two players who know all about performing in this tournament and bring plenty of experience to the table to go with the youth present in DC’s ranks. These are the five world class T20 players in Delhi’s team, who they can supplement with plenty of talent across the board. T Natarajan has consistently been one of the best Indian pacers in the IPL during his career, and he’s finally making a move away from Hyderabad. His accuracy in the death overs could be a gamechanger at the Arun Jaitley Stadium with its small boundaries, and provides depth bowling to a unit that tended to be expensive last year. Mukesh Kumar also makes a return via RTM, and will provide support with the new ball to Starc and with the older ball to Natarajan. Being a support act will be a much better role for this player than having to be the spearhead, as he has been for DC in recent years.
On the batting front, it will be interesting to see if Jake Fraser-McGurk can recreate his form from last year, where he was the batter with the highest strike-rate across the tournament, and showed an ability to set DC up for wins in the powerplay alone, inspiring their late resurgence. However, it has been a quiet few months since that breakout tournament for the hard-hitting Aussie as his unorthodox technique has been slightly exposed. Thankfully for DC, they have overseas batting depth present in Faf du Plessis and Donovan Ferreira, with a replacement for Harry Brook also yet to be announced.
In the middle order, it will be interesting to see if Abhishek Porel continues to get games after his retention, with the wicketkeeper looking like a real talent, and well-suited to batting at three in this team. Tristan Stubbs could bat at four or five, Axar Patel could very well bump himself up the order to extend the batting, and Ashutosh Sharma and Sameer Rizvi provide that late-order hitting that every team is so hungry for.
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Who is the captain of Delhi Capitals for IPL 2025?
Axar Patel has been appointed as the new captain of Delhi Capitals for IPL 2025, making him the team’s 10th permanent captain in 18 years. He takes over from Rishabh Pant, who has left the franchise.
What are the biggest signings for Delhi Capitals in IPL 2025?
Delhi Capitals made two major purchases in the auction – KL Rahul and Mitchell Starc. Rahul brings experience and stability to the batting lineup, while Starc is a world-class pacer who will spearhead the bowling attack.
How does the Delhi Capitals’ bowling attack look for IPL 2025?
DC has a strong bowling unit featuring Mitchell Starc, T Natarajan and Mukesh Kumar in the pace department. Starc will lead the attack, Natarajan will be crucial in the death overs and Mukesh Kumar will provide additional support. Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel will be the main spin options.
Will Jake Fraser-McGurk continue to open for DC?
Jake Fraser-McGurk was one of the most explosive batters in IPL 2024, and DC will hope he can replicate that form in 2025. However, given his struggles in recent months, the team also has backups in Faf du Plessis and Donovan Ferreira.
What does the middle order look like for Delhi Capitals?
Delhi’s middle order includes Abishek Porel, Tristan Stubbs, Axar Patel, Ashutosh Sharma and Sameer Rizvi. Porel is expected to bat at No. 3, Stubbs at 4 or 5, and Patel might promote himself higher to strengthen the lineup.
Can Delhi Capitals win their first IPL title in 2025?
DC has built a strong squad with a mix of experience and young talent. If key players like KL Rahul, Mitchell Starc and Jake Fraser-McGurk perform consistently, and Axar Patel leads effectively, they have a good chance to compete for their maiden IPL title.