Delhi Capitals (DC) have appointed all-rounder Axar Patel as their new captain for the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) season, replacing Rishabh Pant. The announcement follows Pant’s release from the franchise and his subsequent acquisition by Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the IPL 2025 mega auction.
The decision to hand Axar the captaincy comes after Delhi Capitals finished sixth in IPL 2024 with 14 points, once again failing to secure their maiden IPL title. The franchise’s best-ever finish remains their runners-up spot in IPL 2020, where they lost to Mumbai Indians in the final.
Axar’s rise to captaincy was largely expected, given his influential presence in the team since joining in 2019. In his 82 matches for DC, the Gujarat all-rounder has contributed 964 runs and taken 62 wickets at an economy of 7.
His performances in IPL 2024 further strengthened his case for leadership, as he scored 235 runs at an average of 29.38 and picked up 11 wickets. With KL Rahul opting out of a leadership role after being bought for INR 14 crore at the auction, Axar became the frontrunner for the position.
DC unveiled their new captain in a lighthearted manner, releasing a promotional video featuring actor Aditya Srivastav in a parody of his famous role from the crime series C.I.D before officially confirming Axar’s appointment.
While this will be Axar Patel’s first full-time captaincy stint in the IPL, he is no stranger to leading a side. The left-arm all-rounder has captained Gujarat in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy across three seasons, winning 10 matches and losing seven.
He also briefly led Delhi Capitals in IPL 2024, stepping in for Rishabh Pant in a group-stage match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), though DC lost that game by 47 runs.
Axar has been in sensational form recently, playing a key role in India’s Champions Trophy 2025 triumph with both bat and ball. His all-round performances have showcased his ability to handle pressure, a quality that will be crucial as he leads DC in the upcoming season.
Axar Patel’s first match as Delhi Capitals captain will be against Rishabh Pant’s new team, Lucknow Super Giants, on March 24 at the YS Rajasekhara Reddy Stadium in Visakhapatnam. The matchup will be an intriguing start to DC’s campaign, as they look to finally secure their maiden IPL title under new leadership.
With Axar at the helm, Delhi Capitals will aim for a more consistent and competitive performance in IPL 2025. His experience, form, and all-round skills make him a strong choice to lead the side, but whether he can guide DC to their first-ever IPL trophy remains to be seen.
