Delhi Capitals (DC) have retained a solid core, covering a few crucial aspects.
Delhi Capitals (DC) have been in the limelight since the news regarding retentions and releases started to come out. Finally, their retentions are finalised, and, of course, there are big surprises.
They have left out their captain and best batter Rishabh Pant ahead of the IPL 2025 auction. DC have not retained Jake Fraser-McGurk or any Indian pacers from the previous season, either.
Among the best performers of Delhi Capitals in the previous cycle, Axar Patel is their first retention. He is a solid defensive spinner who can bowl at various paces and angles in the middle overs.
Further, he is also a terrific batter and can be used as a floater to counter spin in the middle phase. He is a complete package and rightly retained by the Capitals.
Kuldeep Yadav is the best spinner in the country and a genuine wicket-taker in any phase. His partnership with Axar makes DC among the most fearsome spin attacks.
Kuldeep bowls attacking lines and lengths and makes batters err with their shots. His presence will allow DC to focus on strengthening the pace department, for he and Axar complete the spin department.
Tristan Stubbs was terrific in the previous season for the Capitals and is rightly retained as an overseas player. Stubbs is equally capable against pace and spin, and with age on his side, he will be a long-term investment.
He can also bowl a bit and keep wickets, making him a complete package. Stubbs will only improve from here on.
In Rishabh Pant’s absence, Abishek Porel got a chance to impress, and when he returned, he ensured not fall behind in the order. Abishek is a wicketkeeper batter who can be flexible with the bat and has shown good wicketkeeping technique behind the sticks.
He can bat at a high rate and provides the LHB dimension to the batting unit, making him a steal at just INR 4 crores. He is only 22 and will serve DC for years.
| Retained Player | Price (INR) |
| Axar Patel | 16.50 Crores |
| Kuldeep Yadav | 13.25 Crores |
| Tristan Stubbs | 10 Crores |
| Abishek Porel | 4 Crores |
| Total: | 43.75 Crores |
| Remaining Purse: | 73 Crores |
Rishabh Pant’s omission is obviously the biggest highlight, whereas Jake Fraser-McGurk and Mukesh Kumar are other options ingored. The move behind the last two players is understandable.
They have spent INR 43.75 crores and will have two Right To Match (RTM) available during the auction. Maybe DC will use one of them on Pant, while the other one on one of Jake Fraser-McGurk, Mukesh Kumar, or Khaleel Ahmed if their price is reasonable. But INR 47 crores will be deducted from their purse according to BCCI stipulated amount for 3 capped and 1 uncapped retentions.
Maybe they couldn’t negotiate a deal with Rishabh, which led to his exclusion. Several teams will target him, so his price will surge very high.
However, they have retained a solid core, covering a few crucial aspects. They will now look to buy specialists, and with a big purse, DC can definitely eye the best talent available.
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