Fantasy Cricket

Axar Patel Named Delhi Capitals Captain for IPL 2025

by Prateek
March 14, 2025
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Delhi Capitals (DC) have chosen Axar Patel as their new captain for the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) season. The 31-year-old all-rounder replaces Rishabh Pant, who decided not to stay with DC. Pant was later bought by Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) for a record-breaking ₹27 crore in the IPL 2025 mega auction.

Many thought that DC would pick KL Rahul as their captain because of his experience leading Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). However, the team decided to trust Axar Patel.

Axar Patel’s Journey with DC

Axar has been with DC since 2019. The team retained him for ₹16.50 crore, making him their most valuable player this season. Even though he does not have much captaincy experience in the IPL, he has led Gujarat in domestic cricket. He was also India’s vice-captain in T20Is earlier this year.

For Axar, this is a big achievement. “It is my absolute honour to captain the Delhi Capitals,” he said. He also shared that his time with DC has helped him grow as a cricketer and a person.

Axar’s Leadership Experience

Axar got a small taste of IPL captaincy last season when he led DC in one match after Rishabh Pant was suspended for a slow over-rate. In domestic cricket, he has captained Gujarat in 16 T20 matches.

His IPL 2024 season numbers were strong. He scored 235 runs at an average of nearly 30 and took 11 wickets with an economy rate of 7.65.

Axar’s T20 Career

Axar is one of the most reliable all-rounders in T20 cricket. He has played 274 T20 matches, scoring 3088 runs, including eight half-centuries. He has also taken 239 wickets. In the 2016 IPL, he even took a hat-trick while playing for Punjab.

His performance helped India win the recent T20 World Cup and Champions Trophy, proving he is a match-winner.

Delhi Capitals believe Axar Patel is the right choice for captain. DC chairman Kiran Kumar Grandhi called his appointment a “natural progression” because of his contributions over the years.

Co-owner Parth Jindal also praised Axar. He said Axar is a well-respected player in the DC dressing room and has the ability to inspire his teammates.

With Axar Patel leading the side, Delhi Capitals are set to begin a new chapter in IPL 2025. Fans will be excited to see how he takes on this challenge.

Story First Published at www.probatsman.com on 14 March 2025