Delhi Capitals to get new captain in IPL 2027! THIS star player likely to lead DC starting next season
(Courtesy : IPL)
Delhi Capitals finished 6th on the IPL 2026 points table.
Axar Patel has been leading the Delhi Capitals (DC) franchise since 2025, when Delhi parted ways with Rishabh Pant. In 2025, the Capitals finished 5th on the points table, while in 2026 they were 6th.
Axar has been associated with DC since 2019 as a player and was handed the captaincy in 2025. Axar has scored 436 runs while picking 16 wickets across two seasons.
In 2025, DC had a phenomenal start to their campaign with four consecutive wins, but after that, they managed only 2 wins in 9 matches. Ultimately, they could amass only 15 points and did not qualify for the playoffs.
Meanwhile, in IPL 2026, they won 7 matches and finished sixth on the points table, again missing out on a playoffs berth. There were some matches where they lost by very small margins. Some cricket experts considered Axar’s captaincy laid-back and comparatively less proactive.
Several team decisions were debatable, and eventually they lost the matches because of them. Now, Delhi are considering a change in their leadership, with a new captain set to take over from next season.
KL Rahul is front-runner to lead DC from IPL 2027
According to a Times of India report, Delhi Capitals are looking to revamp their leadership. KL Rahul has emerged as the front-runner to lead the franchise from the next IPL season.
KL Rahul has captained the franchises of Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in 2020-21 and 2022-24, respectively.
He guided LSG to the playoffs twice in three seasons and possesses extensive captaincy experience in the IPL and domestic cricket.
Currently, Rahul is among the most experienced players of the side. DC are investing in younger talent, a glimpse of which was seen in IPL 2026, featuring players such as Sahil Parakh, Madhav Tiwari, Abhishek Porel and Sameer Rizvi. Under his captaincy, these promising players can be bright prospects.
Moreover, captaincy has suited Rahul’s game. While he was the captain of Punjab, he scored 600+ runs in both seasons. He has been one of the most consistent batsmen of the league, scoring more than 500 runs in eight seasons.
There are also reports suggesting an overhaul in the Delhi Capitals team management, with the inclusion of Sourav Ganguly and Yuvraj Singh in the coaching staff. Delhi are yet to win their maiden IPL trophy.
Who was the captain of Delhi Capitals in IPL 2026?
Axar Patel was the captain of Delhi Capitals in IPL 2026.
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Cricket runs in the blood of Indians — and that’s something she truly believes in. A law student with a lifelong connection to the game, she has followed cricket passionately since his school days. Like countless young fans, she first experienced the sport on the field before deepening his understanding through constant watching, reading, and conversations around the game. Writing became a natural extension of that passion, bringing a “Pavilion Perspective” to his work — capturing how fans experience matches through their own lens.