IPL 2025: Why was Axar Patel, and not KL Rahul, named Delhi Capitals captain?

Delhi Capitals, on Friday, appointed all-rounder Axar Patel their captain for the upcoming IPL 2025. The move came as a surprise for fans, who were expecting senior pro KL Rahul, who joined the franchise this season, to be handed over the reins of the team.

Patel has been with the Delhi Capitals since 2019, and was retained by the franchise ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction in November last year, for a whopping ₹16.5 crore. He has played 82 matches for Delhi Capitals, scoring 967 runs and picking up 62 wickets.

Patel has led Gujarat, including the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy in 2024-25, and was appointed India's T20I vice-captain earlier this year.

A change in captaincy was necessitated after wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant parted ways with the Delhi Capitals ahead of the mega auction, and the franchise did not buy him back. Pant will lead Lucknow Super Giants in IPL 2025.

DC’s choice is interesting, as the squad has seasoned campaigners and former IPL skippers such as Rahul and South Africa’s Faf du Plessis.

Rahul has been the captain of Punjab Kings and Lucknow Super Giants. While he has been in the thick of runs, his strike rate and proactiveness as a captain has been often questioned. Also, there are reports that the batter-wicketkeeper turned down DC’s offer to be the skipper, to focus on his batting. With the burden of captaincy off his shoulder, Rahul hopes to bat more freely and fluently.

Du Plessis, on the other hand, has captained Royal Challengers Bengaluru, leading them to the playoffs twice. Age, however, would have been a factor in the latter’s case. At 40, du Plessis isn’t getting any younger, and the franchise seems to looking at 31-year-old Patel as a long-time prospect, and for fresher ideas.

"It is my absolute honour to captain the Delhi Capitals, and I'm deeply grateful to our owners and support staff for placing their faith in me. I've grown as a cricketer and a human being during my time here at the Capitals, and I feel ready and confident to lead this side going forward," Patel said in a press statement. 

Delhi Capitals are yet to win an IPL title, and finished sixth last season. They will kick off their IPL 2025 campaign against Lucknow Super Giants in Visakhapatnam on March 24.