Delhi Capitals have one of the most interesting squads in the Indian Premier League 2025. After having let Rishabh Pant go and missing out on Shreyas Iyer at the IPL 2025 mega auction in Jeddah, the Capitals got hold of KL Rahul for a bargain of Rs. 14 crore. He comes into the side after having played for Punjab Kings and Lucknow Super Giants over the last six seasons. Rahul will lead DC, and he has the experience under his belt to aid the franchise. He led LSG to two playoffs in three seasons. DC have a character in their ranks, and this season, one expects them to perform well and be a thorn for opposition teams.
Ahead of the auction, DC retained four players: Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Tristan Stubbs, and Abishek Morel. At the auction, they built a strong bowling unit especially in pace. Mitchell Starc was captured alongside the likes of Mohit Sharma, Mukesh Kumar, and T Natarajan. For back-ups, Dushmantha Chameera makes his presence felt.
DC also have powerful names in their batting. Jake Fraser-McGurk saw the side use the RTM card for him. Harry Brook and Faf du Plessis were roped in as well. Donovan Ferreira provides an option from the bench. They also made a smart move by signing big-hitter Ashutosh Sharma, who impressed largely for PBKS last season. Ahead of the IPL 2025 season, we decode the strengths, weaknesses, and takeaways of the DC squad.
Players retained by DC: Axar Patel (Rs. 16.5 crore), Kuldeep Yadav (Rs. 13.25 crore), Tristan Stubbs (Rs. 10 crore), Abishek Porel (Rs. 4 crore).
Players bought at the auction: Mitchell Starc (Rs. 11.75 crore), KL Rahul (Rs. 14 crore), Harry Brook (Rs. 6.25 crore), Jake Fraser-McGurk (Rs. 9 crore), T. Natarajan (Rs. 10.75 crore), Karun Nair (Rs. 50 lakh), Sameer Rizvi (Rs. 95 lakh), Ashutosh Sharma (Rs. 3.80 crore), Mohit Sharma (Rs. 2.20 crore), Faf du Plessis (Rs. 2 crore), Mukesh Kumar (Rs. 8 crore), Darshan Nalkande (Rs. 30 lakh), Vipraj Nigam (Rs. 50 lakh), Dushmantha Chameera (Rs. 75 lakh), Donovan Ferreira (Rs. 75 lakh), Ajay Mandal (Rs. 30 lakh), Manvanth Kumar (Rs. 30 lakh), Tripurana Vijay (Rs. 30 lakh), Madhav Tiwari (Rs. 40 lakh).
Strengths of Delhi Capitals
DC have the desired character in batting. Fraser-McGurk is expected to open alongside Abishek Porel with KL Rahul coming at number three. Fraser-McGurk impressed largely in the nine matches he played for DC last season. He struck at a stupendous 234.04 and scored 330 runs at 36.66. He is someone who can set the power play on fire. 266 of his runs came in the first six overs at a strike rate of 250.94. He averaged a solid 53.20. Porel is someone who has enhanced his reputation. He had an excellent 2024 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy for Bengal, scoring 335 runs at 41.87. He struck at 158-plus and hit three fifties. Porel also did well in IPL 2024 before that, amassing 327 runs from 12 innings with a strike rate worth close to 160. DC will want Porel to open, given he is enjoying this role. He can also set the tone.
Rahul will need to come at number three for the sake of the side. In 132 IPL games, Rahul owns 4683 runs at 45-plus average. His tally includes four tons and 37 fifties. His strike rate is 134.60. Across three seasons with Lucknow, Rahul managed 1410 runs at 41.47. Before that, he was with the Punjab Kings, scoring 2548 runs at a solid 56.62.
DC get bolstered by the arrival of Brook. In 144 T20s, he has 3358 runs at a healthy average of 33.58 and a strike rate worth 150-plus. However, Brook will need to come out at either four or number five to accommodate substantial positions that favor batters.
South Africa’s Tristan Stubbs is next. He scored at a strike rate of 190.90 last season, and his average read 54. He scored 378 runs. Stubbs is a massive middle-order batter and boasts pedigree. In Ashutosh, DC get a promising finisher in the ranks alongside Axar.
Faf du Plessis adds character from the bench, and his quality is spellbound. Given the look of DC, the former RCB skipper may have to sit out and perhaps be ready when needed. Similarly, Ferreira is also a viable option. He has a strike rate of 158.64 and owns 1615 runs.
The pace attack of DC is a real deal. Starc is a big-match player, and we witnessed that last season when he helped the Kolkata Knight Riders in Qualifier 1 and then the final. He picked 14 wickets last season for KKR. In Natarajan, DC get a proven customer in the IPL. He was one of the key assets for SRH last season, picking 19 scalps at 24.47. He is a superb bowler at the death. 11 of his scalps came in the last 4 overs in IPL 2024 at just 14.90. In 10 matches for DC last season, pacer Mukesh was on song, taking 17 scalps at 21.64. He will want to stick to his role and deliver. In Mohit, DC get a veteran, who did a reasonable job for Gujarat Titans of late. In 25 innings, he picked 40 scalps for GT at 19.65. On the bench, Darshan Nalkande is an interesting figure. He averages 17.41 in T20s.
Weaknesses of Delhi Capitals
DC need to use Porel as an opener if they don’t do that, he gets wasted. The problem with Rahul is that he lacks the intent at the top and plays the long game. His best position, therefore, is number three. Rahul has batted mainly as an opener for both PBKS and LSG. This could be a big ask for DC to get the right balance. With Porel, Fraser-McGurk, and Rahul forming the top three, DC will also be forced to play Harry Brook at number four. He is more of a top-order batter. So will Brook come out and bring the impact if asked to bat down remains a question.
DC are over reliant on spinners Axar and Kuldeep. Both are solid players, but where are the backups? 20-year-old uncapped Vipraj Nigam has played just 7 T20 games. DC will need to rely on all-rounder Ajay Mandal. He owns 44 scalps in T20s but hasn’t played in the IPL. Moreover, Mandal is also a left-arm spinner. So you have three left-arm spinners and a rookie right-arm spinner. It’s an area where DC will struggle. In every match they cannot just rely on Kuldeep and Axar.
DC probable playing XI: Jake Fraser-McGurk, Abishek Porel, KL Rahul (c & wk), Harry Brook, Tristan Stubbs, Axar Patel, Ashutosh Sharma, Kuldeep Yadav, Mitchell Starc, Mukesh Kumar, T Natarajan.
Who can be the Impact players for DC?
DC need a sixth bowler and especially a spin option. So Mandal is the player who can come in as the Impact Player for someone like Porel; if they need a fourth pacer, Nalkande, as an all-rounder, can make the cut. In terms of an extra batter, Karun Nair is the obvious choice.
Key players to watch out for
Kuldeep Yadav: The left-arm wrist-spinner owns 200 T20 scalps from 161 games at 21.35. Kuldeep impressed last season for DC, taking 16 scalps at 23.25.
IPL 2025: DC will challenge for a top 4 berth
DC need to get their balance right in terms of batting positions. If things click for them, then a top 4 berth is all likely. They get an able skipper in Rahul, and the pace unit, in particular, is serious. The batting has the ingredients to come good as well.