Axar Patel has been appointed as the captain of Delhi Capitals (DC) for IPL 2025. The 31-year-old all-rounder has been a key player for the franchise since joining in 2019 and will now lead the team in the upcoming season.
A Patel first joined Delhi Capitals in 2019 when the franchise signed him for INR 5 crore. For IPL 2025, he was one of DCโs top retentions at INR 16.5 crore. Across six seasons with Delhi Capitals, he has been a key player and is now set to lead the team as captain.
Delhi Capitals have never won an IPL title, and Axar Patel aims to lead the franchise to its first-ever championship in IPL 2025.
Axar Patel Captaincy Experience
Axar Patel may not have extensive captaincy experience, but he has showcased leadership qualities at various levels.
- He was named Indiaโs T20I vice-captain in January 2025.
- He has led his domestic team, Gujarat, in 23 matches across formats, including the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy in the 2024-25 season.
- In IPL 2024, he captained Delhi Capitals in one match when Rishabh Pant was banned due to a slow over-rate. However, DC lost that must-win game against RCB, missing out on the playoffs.
In T20s
| Matches | Won | Lost | Winning % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | 10 | 6 | 62.50 |
Axar Patel IPL Stats
Overall, in his 150 IPL matches, he has accumulated 1,653 runs and 123 wickets, including a memorable hat-trick in 2016.
He has played 82 matches for DC, scoring 967 runs and taking 62 wickets at an impressive economy of 7.09.
List of Delhi Capitals Captains in IPL
- Virender Sehwag
- Gautam Gambhir
- Dinesh Karthik
- James Hopes
- Mahela Jayawardene
- Ross Taylor
- David Warner
- Kevin Pietersen
- JP Duminy
- Zaheer Khan
- Karun Nair
- Shreyas Iyer
- Rishabh Pant
- Axar Patel
Why was KL Rahul not appointed as DC captain?
KL Rahul was not appointed as the captain of Delhi Capitals (DC) for IPL 2025 because he reportedly declined the role. While the franchise wanted him to lead the team, Rahul preferred to contribute as a player rather than taking on the added responsibility of captaincy. This decision paved the way for Axar Patel to be appointed as DC’s new captain.
