KL Rahul and Axar Patel will lead Delhi Capitals in the 2025 season of the Indian Premier League, said DC co-owner Parth Jindal. The franchise bought KL Rahul for a sum of Rs 14 crore in the IPL auction on Sunday, November 24. DC beat bids from KKR, RCB and CSK to buy the player.
Speaking via an official press release, Jindal said that both players will guide the junior members of the team and will be expected to captain the side next season. The franchise signed 9 players on Day 1 of the IPL mega auction buying superstars like Mitchell Starc, Harry Brook and KL Rahul. The team also activated the Right To Match (RTM) card for Jake Fraser-McGurk at Rs 9 crore.
Delhi Capitals gets KL Rahul for an absolute steal for 14 crores
KL Rahul, India’s star batter, went to Delhi Capitals for INR 14 crore, as the franchise fended off stiff competition for his signature. The bidding for Rahul kicked off with Kolkata Knight Riders leading the charge, only for Royal Challengers Bangalore to quickly counter. At INR 11 crore, RCB pulled out, allowing Delhi Capitals to enter the fray. As the price continued to soar, KKR also stepped back, and at INR 12.25 crore, it seemed like the Capitals were on the verge of securing KL Rahul’s signature.
However, just as it looked settled, Chennai Super Kings made a late entry into the bidding. But even they withdrew when the price hit INR 14 crore. KL Rahul’s former team, Lucknow Super Giants, opted not to use their Right to Match (RTM) option, and the Delhi Capitals ultimately claimed the star batter.
KL Rahul was the captain of LSG, and it is expected that the wicketkeeper-batter will be handed a similar role at the Capitals, with the side unable to use the RTM for Rishabh Pant.
Delhi, who retained only four players – Axar Patel (Rs. 16.5 crore), Kuldeep Yadav (Rs. 13.25 crore), Tristan Stubbs (Rs. 10 crore), Abhishek Porel (Rs. 4 crore) – were among the many teams at the auction on Sunday looking for a captaincy option after having parted ways with Rishabh Pant last month.
With the franchise acquiring Rahul on Sunday for INR 14 crore, it was largely expected that Delhi would find themselves a captain for IPL 2025. However, Jindal, speaking to the press after the day 1 proceedings in Jeddah, revealed that both KL Rahul and Axar Patel will lead the team next season.
KL Rahul and Axar Patel will lead Delhi Capitals exclaims co- owner Parth Jindal post IPL 2025 auction
Delhi Capitals (DC) roped in senior Indian batter KL Rahul on the first day of the Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The franchise acquired the 32-year-old’s services for ₹14 crore.
Having parted ways with former captain Rishabh Pant, the Delhi-based side is searching for a new skipper. DC co-owner Parth Jindal recently hinted that the team could opt for dual leadership, with Rahul and Axar Patel at the helm.
Jindal emphasized that Rahul and Axar will lead the team’s young batting lineup. Speaking to the press during the IPL 2025 auction, he was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times:
“We have a very young batting lineup. Both KL and Axar are going to lead them and are going to guide them. KL’s batting and experience will be a vital cog in the wheel,”
It is worth mentioning that apart from Rahul, DC also roped in Karun Nair, Sameer Rizvi, Ashutosh Sharma, Harry Brook, Jake Fraser-McGurk Mitchell Starc, Mohit Sharma, and T Natarajan on Day 1 of the IPL 2025 auction.
Parth Jindal shares his opinions regarding KL Rahul
Parth Jindal expressed his excitement at KL Rahul’s signing. He opined that the wicket at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi will suit the batter’s playing style.
He also pointed out that Rahul has been a proven performer in the IPL and he will bring stability to the team’s top order. Jindal added:
“We were looking for stability in the top order, someone with experience who can build the innings. And, I think KL Rahul, given his record in the IPL, he’s someone who’s consistently given more than 400 runs every season. I think with the Kotla wicket, it is going to suit his game. We’re very excited to have him.”
Englishman Harry Brook was snapped up for Rs 6.25 crore, while Indian players T Natarajan and Karun Nair were acquired for Rs 10.75 crore and Rs 50 lakh, respectively, in the latter half of the day. Delhi Capitals also acquired the services of domestic players Sameer Rizvi (Rs 95 lakh) and Ashutosh Sharma (Rs 3.80 crore) respectively along with experienced pacer Mohit Sharma (Rs 2.20 crore).
Delhi will need to sign at least five players on the second and final day of the IPL 2025 auction. They have a remaining purse of ₹13.80 crore. Jindal confirmed that DC will hunt for more bowlers on Day 2 of the IPL auction. Several Indian players like Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mukesh Kumar are available in the auction pool.