IPL 2025: Not KL Rahul, Axar Patel To Lead Delhi Capitals After Rishabh Pant

The much-anticipated captaincy announcement for IPL 2025 is finally complete, with Delhi Capitals (DC) officially naming Axar Patel as their new skipper. This decision comes as the franchise sought a replacement for Rishabh Pant, who had previously led the team. While KL Rahul was reportedly approached for the leadership role, the wicketkeeper-batter declined the offer, paving the way for Axar’s elevation to captaincy.

Axar Patel Steps Up as DC’s New Leader

Having been a crucial part of Delhi Capitals since 2019, Axar Patel now takes on a new challenge as the team’s captain. The all-rounder, who has two ICC titles under his belt with the Indian team, had a strong IPL 2024 season, scoring 235 runs at an average of nearly 30 and picking up 11 wickets at an economy rate of 7.65.

Expressing his excitement, Axar said, “It is my absolute honour to captain the Delhi Capitals. I’ve grown as a cricketer and I feel ready and confident to lead this side going forward.”

DC’s faith in Axar was evident when they retained him for a staggering Rs 18 crore ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction. With 150 IPL matches to his name, Axar has accumulated 1653 runs at a strike rate of 130.88 and taken 123 wickets with an economy rate of 7.28. While he previously served as India’s vice-captain during their 4-1 T20I series win against England, leading DC in IPL 2025 will be his biggest leadership test yet as the franchise aims for its maiden title.

KL Rahul’s Role in Delhi Capitals

KL Rahul was another strong candidate for DC’s captaincy, having been signed for Rs 14 crore at the previous mega auction. With prior leadership experience at Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), Rahul led LSG to playoff appearances in both 2022 and 2023. However, despite his proven track record, he has opted to play purely as a batter for DC rather than taking on the leadership responsibility.

DC will begin their IPL 2025 campaign against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the ACA-VDCA Stadium in Visakhapatnam on March 24. Before heading into their first match, the team will participate in a short three-day training camp in New Delhi, starting March 17, to fine-tune their preparations for the season ahead.

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