New Delhi, March 14 – Delhi Capitals has named Indian all-rounder Axar Patel as the captain for the upcoming 2025 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The decision, announced on Friday, sees Axar leading the team over KL Rahul, who recently joined the franchise. He replaces Rishabh Pant, who was released before the mega auction and will now captain Lucknow Super Giants this season.
As per agency report, Axar Patel, 31, played a key role in India’s Champions Trophy victory and has been associated with Delhi Capitals since 2019. The franchise retained him for ₹16.50 crore in the auction last November, making him the longest-serving player in the current squad. Over 82 matches with Delhi, Axar has contributed 967 runs and taken 62 wickets with an economy rate of around seven.
While Axar has limited IPL captaincy experience, he has led Gujarat in domestic tournaments like the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy. He also served as India’s T20 vice-captain earlier this year. Expressing gratitude, Axar stated that leading Delhi Capitals is a huge honor, and he appreciates the trust placed in him by the franchise’s owners and support staff.
Delhi Capitals' squad includes experienced players like KL Rahul, Kuldeep Yadav, Faf du Plessis, and Mitchell Starc. Axar’s leadership will be closely watched as he attempts to bring out the best in his team.
Delhi Capitals is one of three original IPL franchises yet to win a title, alongside Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore. The team finished sixth in the last season and has undergone major coaching changes for IPL 2025. The revamped support staff includes head coach Hemang Badani, director of cricket Venugopal Rao, assistant coach Matthew Mott, and bowling coach Munaf Patel. Former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen has also joined the coaching panel, along with Venugopal Rao’s brother, Gyaneshwar Rao.
In the previous IPL season, Axar scored 235 runs at an average of nearly 30 and took 11 wickets with an economy rate of 7.65. Over his IPL career, he has played 150 matches, accumulating 1,653 runs and claiming 123 wickets. His notable achievements include a hat-trick for Punjab in the 2016 season.
