The Delhi Capitals last qualified for the playoffs in 2021.
Semi-finalists in the first two seasons. A playoff qualification four times. The runners-up in 2020. The Indian Premier League (IPL) trophy has eluded the Delhi Capitals on a few occasions. While 2020 was their best chance under skipper Shreyas Iyer, the team hasn’t done well in the last four seasons. Since 2022, the Capitals have failed to make the playoffs even once. In the most recent season, they started with a bang, winning their first four matches of the campaign. However, they could win only three of their remaining 10 fixtures. As a result, they lost track and couldn’t even stamp their authority in the top four. The team has seen 15 captains in their history of 18 IPL seasons, with South African batter Faf du Plessis being the latest one, after Axar Patel.
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The team needs a revamp. After their disappointing results in the last four seasons, it is very evident that something needs to change. The team registered a flurry of losses after their brilliant start in the recent campaign. While their opening batters were the talk of the town for most of their campaign, the middle order was always in doubt. The franchise kept making technical errors in formulating strategies around their batting order and team selection. With the chance of a few retentions around the corner, the Capitals would love to make the most of it and build a team that stands the test of time.
The Delhi Capitals have always chopped and changed their team. The reason for their failures in recent seasons has been the lack of depth in their batting order and their inability to read match situations and act accordingly. While the team has seen the services of some skilled all-rounders, it may be time to rejig the setup. The team is expected to keep their best performers in the mix, and here are a few players that the Capitals will look to retain ahead of a big season in 2026:
This is pretty much an obvious choice. A proven performer at the highest level, Rahul has proved his mettle at the top of the order this season. After having a stint with the Lucknow Supergiants (LSG) the Indian wicketkeeper-batter was roped in by the Capitals in the auction. Though he was among the few choices for the leadership role, Rahul was entrusted with the batting and wicket-keeping responsibility. And boy, did he perform! The Delhi Capitals opener scored 539 runs in 13 matches, at an average of 53.90. His best score read 112*, which came against the Gujarat Titans in Delhi. Another highlight for Rahul in the campaign was his 93* against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at Chinnaswamy, after which he did the Kantara celebration. He will surely be one of the first choices to be retained ahead of the next season.
The 31-year-old all-rounder would be another obvious choice for retention for the Capitals. Handed the captaincy for this season, Axar has scored 263 runs in 12 appearances with an average of almost 27. However, his bowling took a dent in the recent season as he managed to scalp just five wickets in the season. One of the most prominent strategies was to promote himself to the order, to take maximum responsibility as a batter. Many of his decisions were under scrutiny this season, including the inconsistent batting line-ups that the Capitals went with. Moreover, the DC management will have to look out for some players who can add to their batting depth.
The Indian finisher must be one of the first names to be sealed for the finisher’s role. In the very first game of the 2025 season, he pulled victory from the jaws of defeat for the Delhi Capitals. Chasing 210 in their first match of the campaign, DC were reduced to 65/5 when Ashutosh walked in as the impact player. He scored 66 runs off just 31 deliveries to seal the win for the team, marking an impressive start to their campaign. He managed to score 204 runs in 13 innings in the campaign. Though the Capitals will have a power-hitter sorted for the next season, they will need to have an eye out for another hard-hitting all-rounder. Ashutosh has shown his heroics previously as well when he was a part of the Punjab Kings.
How many IPL franchises have a left-arm leg spinner in their ranks? Not many. They’re extremely rare. And hence, Kuldeep Yadav makes a very strong case for retention. In 14 matches in the previous season, he piled up 15 wickets with best figures of 3/22. Wrist-spinners are special. Not that they possess any magic wands to make things happen, but the intensity of their artistry is very seldom lauded. A sure thing about them is the fact that they give away runs. Sometimes a lot of them. But they entice a batter into making mistakes and hence are one of the most valuable commodities in the shortest format. Batters are always on the lookout for big runs, and with a quality chinaman on the side, a team can bank on him for regular breakthroughs.
A name not many were familiar with before the 2025 season began. But within a season, he has amazed most of the spectators. Fitting into the category of a proper all-rounder, Vipraj scored 142 runs in 14 matches and also picked 11 wickets for the Capitals. He is another leg-spinner in the ranks alongside Kuldeep Yadav. He came into the limelight in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) in 2024. What amazed the selectors about the 20-year-old was his ability to hit huge sixes. He has shown tremendous promise in the last season of the IPL and the Capitals will be very happy having the services of Vipraj Nigam once again.
The overseas retention spot will be one of the areas around which the Delhi Capitals management will have to think. Both the South African stars have had a good patch with the franchise. While Faf du Plessis has been instrumental in staging partnerships at the top of the order alongside Rahul, Tristan Stubbs has fostered the hard-hitting role at the death. The former Proteas skipper has amassed 202 runs in just nine innings last season. On the other hand, Stubbs scored 300 throughout 14 innings with the Capitals. The management can lean towards the youngster, citing reasons to strengthen their middle-order batting. But letting go of an experienced player in du Plessis will be a decision that will need a lot of thought.
The Delhi Capitals are expected to revamp their bowling setup in the upcoming edition of the IPL. As a result, most of the releases would be from the bowling department. Here are a few players that the franchise might release to vacate the spots for some other players:
The Sri Lankan speedster has a proper element of pace in the ranks but lacks consistency. Consistency is one of the most vital aspects of new-ball bowling, and Chameera has been seen struggling in the powerplay when entrusted with the new ball. This was a big concern for the franchise in the recent season because they struggled to find a bowler to assist Mitchell Starc from the other end. The Sri Lankan struggled with control throughout the death bowling as well. In six matches, he managed to pick up just four wickets. The franchise will look to vacate a spot by letting him go ahead of the IPL 2026 auctions.
The left-arm pacer from Tamil Nadu featured in only two games, giving away more than 50 runs collectively. Despite an impressive yorker in his arsenal, Natarajan leaked a lot of runs with his wayward bowling, especially at crucial junctures of the game. He went wicketless in both the games which he featured in. The pacer has made his debut for the national side in all three formats of the game and remains one of the most intriguing stories in cricket. He was a part of the Sunrisers Hyderabad setup before joining the Capitals. However, the franchise would like to look past Natarajan for their avenues ahead of IPL 2026.
An experienced bowler, who was in the 2015 ICC World Cup team for India. Mohit Sharma is largely known for his variations, especially the back-of-the-hand slower delivery which he continues to ace. However, the 36-year-old might be losing out on his spot in the Capitals’ setup after an average season with the franchise. In eight games this season, he just managed to pick two wickets and was wicketless on most occasions. The Capitals will be on the lookout for a death bowler who can create a much larger impact with his variations.
While the impact of this Australian pacer has been immense, his availability remains a point of concern. The tall fast bowler did not return to India for the commencement of the league after it was halted for a week, due to security tensions between India and Pakistan. Provided his schedule and availability concerns, the franchise might want to look past Starc or trade him to another franchise. While Starc would walk into the XI of any team, given his skillset, availability remains to be a point of discussion.
All that’s said and done, here’s how the Delhi squad might look after all the retentions and releases:
Category: Retained
KL Rahul, Axar Patel, Ashutosh Sharma, Kuldeep Yadav, Viprag Nigam, Faf du Plessis / Tristan Stubbs.
Category: Released
Dushmantha Chameera, T Natarajan, Mohit Sharma, Mitchell Starc.
Captaincy Status:
Axar Patel, KL Rahul.
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The major gaps to fill for the Capitals of Delhi would be their middle-order batting as well as fast bowling woes. Therefore, they are likely to strengthen these departments via the following:
The Delhi Capitals would love to acquire the services of Devdutt Padikkal. The young left-hander has shown a lot of promise in the league. His ability to take the attack to the opposition as well as stitch a partnership when needed speaks volumes of the technique he possesses. The franchise can look to trade Abhishek Porel in place of Padikkal. With KL Rahul, Tristan Stubbs, and Sediquallah Atal in the mix as wicketkeepers, they can afford to play a pure batter.
The Kiwi all-rounder might be the perfect fit for the Capitals in the middle order. With Ashutosh Sharma and Tristan Stubbs in the mix, Bracewell’s raw hitting power can be a lethal combination for the franchise. Additionally, the New Zealand all-rounder can roll his arm over, giving his captain a couple of overs if one of the bowlers goes for a beating. His all-round ability is what can be the X-Factor for the Delhi Capitals.
The former Rajasthan Royals pacer can be a valuable addition to the Delhi Capitals side. He holds a knack for taking wickets with the new ball and can cause a lot of problems for the batters in the powerplay. His pace and accuracy have done the rounds in the IPL circuit and the Capitals can use him in case Mitchell Starc’s availability becomes a concern for the franchise. To add to that, the left-arm pacer also adds a different dimension to the bowling attack, creating footmarks outside the off-stump of the right-handers. This would help Kuldeep Yadav to turn the ball inside, causing chaos amongst batters.
Likely names include KL Rahul, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Vipraj Nigam, and Tristan Stubbs.
Possible releases: Dushmantha Chameera, Mohit Sharma, Mitchell Starc and T Natarajan.
Focus on building batting depth, and also invest in a pool of good bowlers. Probably, can look for a good fast-bowling all-rounder.
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