As the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 approaches, the Delhi Capitals are yet to announce their captain. Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra has highlighted three strong contenders for the role: Axar Patel, KL Rahul, and Faf du Plessis. Among them, Axar Patel appears to be the frontrunner due to his consistent performances for India and Delhi Capitals.
Axar Patel – The Leading Candidate for Captaincy
Delhi Capitals’ faith in Axar Patel was evident when they retained him for ₹16.50 crore in the mega auction. His impressive all-round performance in IPL 2024 saw him claim 11 wickets at an economy rate of 7.65 and score 235 runs in 12 innings at a strike rate of 131.28. His leadership potential, along with his growing role in India’s ODI squad, makes him a top candidate.
“Axar will play the Champions Trophy as well and has been given a very important role in the Indian ODI team. He is mature, brilliant. He understands the pulse of the game. Axar puts the team ahead of himself. So he could be a great choice,” Aakash Chopra stated.
KL Rahul – A Proven Leader
KL Rahul, another strong candidate, was acquired by Delhi Capitals for ₹14 crore. With a wealth of captaincy experience, he has previously led India, Punjab Kings, and Lucknow Super Giants, guiding LSG to the playoffs twice. Chopra believes his leadership qualities make him a viable option.
“The second is KL Rahul. I feel they got him cheap. It was a steal. He has got some captaincy credentials. He has captained India, the Punjab Kings, and the Lucknow Super Giants for three years, and they qualified two years as well. So he could be the captain,” Chopra remarked.
Faf du Plessis – The Experienced Overseas Contender
The third name in contention is veteran South African cricketer Faf du Plessis, who was signed for ₹2 crore in the auction. Having led Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) for three seasons, his leadership experience and tactical acumen could benefit Delhi Capitals.
IPL 2025 Squad of Delhi Capitals
Batters & All-rounders: Harry Brook, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Karun Nair, Ashutosh Sharma, Sameer Rizvi, Faf du Plessis, KL Rahul, Tristan Stubbs, Abishek Porel, Donovan Ferreira, Axar Patel, Vipraj Nigam, Darshan Nalkande, Madhav Tiwari, L Manvanth Kumar, Tripurana Vijay, Ajay Mandal
Bowlers: Mitchell Starc, T Natarajan, Mukesh Kumar, Mohit Sharma, Dushmantha Chameera, Kuldeep Yadav
With three strong leadership contenders, Delhi Capitals have a crucial decision ahead as they prepare for IPL 2025.
