Axar Patel and KL Rahul are contenders for the Delhi Capitals (DC) captaincy in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season. As per the latest report, Axar Patel is expected to take over as Delhi Capitals captain after showcasing an outstanding all-round performance in India’s ICC Champions Trophy 2025 triumph.
Axar Patel was retained for ₹16.50 crore, while KL Rahul (₹14 crore) was bought at the auction in Jeddah. KL Rahul has prior IPL captaincy experience with Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). On the other hand, Axar Patel has never been a full-time IPL captain but has led Gujarat in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
Axar Patel is likely to be appointed as the Delhi Capitals (DC) captain for IPL 2025, as per IANS. The franchise considered KL Rahul for the leadership role, but he opted to focus on his performance as a player rather than take on the captaincy.
“Yes, Axar Patel is likely to be named as Delhi Capitals skipper for IPL 2025. The franchise had asked for KL Rahul to be the team’s captain, but he very much wishes to contribute for the side as a player in the upcoming tournament,” sources told IANS on Tuesday.
Axar has been with DC since 2019 and was retained for ₹18 crore ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction. In 150 IPL matches, he has scored 1,653 runs at a strike rate of 130.88 and taken 123 wickets with an economy rate of 7.28. He was also India’s vice-captain during their 4-1 T20I series win over England this year. His potential appointment as DC’s captain for IPL 2025 will be a big test of his leadership, as the team is still searching for its first-ever title.
Rahul was also considered for the captaincy after DC bought him for ₹14 crore at the mega auction last year. He has previously captained Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), leading LSG to the playoffs in 2022 and 2023. However, sources say he will now play for DC without the leadership role. DC’s first match of IPL 2025 will be against LSG at the ACA-VDCA Stadium in Visakhapatnam on March 24. Before that, the team will hold a three-day training camp in New Delhi before leaving for Visakhapatnam on March 17.
