KL Rahul Set to Return for Delhi Capitals Against Sunrisers Hyderabad

Good news for Delhi Capitals fans! Star batter KL Rahul will be back in action on Sunday (March 30) when DC takes on Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam. The 32-year-old missed the first match of the season as he was celebrating the birth of his child, but he is now ready to rejoin the team, according to reports. Journalist Gaurav Gupta shared the update on Twitter, saying, "Having just become a father, India's white-ball keeper-batter KL Rahul is set to turn out for Delhi Capitals' second match of IPL 2025 vs Sunrisers Hyderabad on March 30."

🚨 GOOD NEWS FOR KL FANS 🚨

Rahul is set to be available for the next IPL match on Sunday against SRH. [Gaurav Gupta from TOI] pic.twitter.com/0fhwneTaeN

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) March 26, 2025

Delhi Capitals Excited for K.L. Rahul’s Return 

K.L. Rahul’s comeback makes a huge impact for Delhi Capitals. He has been one of the most consistent players in IPL history, scoring 4,683 runs in 132 matches at an average of 45.47. His presence will add experience and stability to the team’s batting lineup.

ALSO READ: Rabada’s bold take: ‘T20 is just batting, not cricket—where’s the balance?’ 

After leaving Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), Rahul was signed by Delhi Capitals for a whopping INR 14 crore. In their first game of the season, DC, led by Axar Patel, secured a thrilling one-wicket win against Rahul’s former team, thanks to a brilliant performance from Ashutosh Sharma. 

When Will Delhi Capitals Play Next?

Delhi Capitals will play against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Saturday afternoon. Both teams have started the season svery good and will be aiming to continue their winning run. With Rahul back in the squad, DC fans have plenty to be excited about.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is going to publish the new central contract list, and there may be a lot of new player moves in the ranking. Some of the seniors might opt out of T20Is, but still, the list may see new inclusions.

Senior Players Retain A+ Grade:

In spite of their saying farewell, Rohit Sharma, who is captain of the Indian national cricket team, all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, and the most famous Indian batsman, Virat Kohli, are three expected players to be still playing in the A+ group of the BCCI contract. Their continuation at the top end is one of the reasons they are the best in Test and ODI formats.

Also read: RR vs KKR – Weather & Pitch report

Promotions and Demotions in the Contract List:

• Players who have performed impressively for the last few months, probably up from Grade B to Grade A, Axel Patel and Yashe Matthewius.
• The contract is going to be taken away from R. Ashwin. The purpose is to involve young players in the Indian team.
• For his brilliant play at the international level, the middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer might be offered a contract.
• On the other hand, the ceetion of the central contract for wicketkeeper-batsman Aishwarya Kishan cannot be made due to a lack of international games being played by her.

BCCI central contract updates 🚨

🔹 Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja to stay in A+ BCCI contract despite retiring from T20Is.

🔹 Shreyas Iyer likely to get a BCCI contract ✅

🔻 Ishan Kishan could miss out again ❌

(Via- PTI) pic.twitter.com/MwDuYJjoVM

— CricXtasy (@CricXtasy) March 25, 2025

New Players Set for Their First BCCI Contract:
A new batch of youngsters, Akash Deep, Sarfaraz Khan, and Nikin Jose (NKR), have chances to be rewarded with their first BCCI central dissolving process. Their perfect track record at home and their play record on India's A team have made them a potential list member.

Also read:PBKS VS GT IPL Match Live Streaming: Where & How to Watch on the tv and online mobile

Final Announcement Awaited

The awaited official announcement by BCCI is expected to shed some light on the course of Indian cricket. Already the indication of the young bloods inclusion and the shows of the old hands, the exit signifies a new approach to the national cricket team that is exploring its future international competitors with new horizons.

Recently, Captain Axar Patel was also invited to coment on the likelihood of K.L Rahul joining the Delhi Capitals in the first match. Reasoning with the words of "personal reasons" Axar Patel acknoledged that he could not reveal the reason of Rahul's decision just mentioned by him that he has trust in the team due to the significant number of various players, thus, it is capable of adapting no matter of Rahul's availability. 

Missing Rahul, DC may have to find a different strategy for their batting lineup as well as try other players who could be the greatest picks.

DC's captain Axar Patel confirmed that because of "personal" reasons KL Rahul may or not may play the first game

Read more: https://t.co/X3v5dteB42 pic.twitter.com/VZcST111Ga

— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) March 23, 2025

Also Read: Delhi Capitals vs Lucknow Super Giants (DC vs LSG): Match 4, IPL 2025, Match Preview

Firstly the first match Delhi Capitals are going to play this season is against Lucknow Super Giants and the absence of KL Rahul could be one significant loss. LSG, his erstwhile teammates, would in the main have in mind and plan to counter Rahul, but that will change now.

DC would be wondering about Prithvi Shaw, David Warner, or maybe Rishabh Pant being able to fit in if Rahul is not playing. In the event the DC middle-order batsmen are not on fire, Axar Patel and Mitchell Marsh can step in and do whatever needs to be done.

IPL 2025: Captains' Salaries and Their Captaincy Records

1. Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)- Rishabh Pant - 27cr

Indian wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant is now the most expensive player in IPL history. After playing eight years with Delhi Capitals, he will play for a new team in IPL 2025, as Lucknow Super Giants signed him for a record price of 27Cr. Rishabh Pant has played 111 matches in the IPL, with 43 of them as captain. Under his Captaincy, the team has won 23 games, lost 19, and one match ended in a tie.

2.Punjab Kings - Shreyas Iyer: ₹26.75 Crore

Punjab Kings are looking strong ahead of IPL 2025 and they brought last year’s winning captain, Shreyas Iyer, for the new season. On top of that, Shreyas Iyer has set records of ₹26.75 Crore in the mega auction. Shreyas Iyer has played 115 IPL matches, with 69 of them as captain. Under his Captaincy, the team has won 38 games, lost 29, and two matches ended in a tie.

3.Chennai Super Kings - Ruturaj Gaikwad: ₹18 Crore

Ruturaj Gaikwad will continue as Chennai Super King's captain for the second season in IPL 2025. He was one of CSK’s key players retained before last year’s mega auction. The Chennai Super King's franchise bought for ₹18 crore, making him one of their highest-paid players this season. Ruturaj Gaikwad has played 66 IPL matches, with 14 of them as captain. Under his Captaincy, the team won 7 games, and 7 lost.

4.Rajasthan Royals - Sanju Samson: ₹18 Crore

Sanju Samson will continue as Rajasthan Royal's captain for the fifth season of IPL 2025. He got paid more in the retention, with his IPL salary increasing to ₹18 crore. Sanju Samson has played 167 IPL matches, with 61 of them as captain. Under his Captaincy, the team has won 31 games, lost 29, and one match ended in a tie.

ALSO READ: How to Buy LSG VS GT Match NO 26 Tickets :IPL 2025

5.Sunrisers Hyderabad - Pat Cummins: ₹18 Crore

Australian fast bowler Pat Cummins joined Sunrisers Hyderabad for ₹20.50 crore in IPL 2024. SRH has kept him as their captain for IPL 2025, and this season, he will earn ₹18 crore this year. Pat Cummins has played 58 matches in the IPL, with 14 of them as captain. Under his leadership, the team has won 8 games and lost 6, with no matches ending in a tie.

6.Gujarat Titans - Shubman Gill: ₹16.5 Crore

Shubman Gill was made captain of Gujarat Titans before IPL 2024 after Hardik Pandya left. At that time, his IPL salary was ₹8 crore. Now, ahead of IPL 2025, GT has kept him for ₹16.5 crore. Shubman Gill has played 103 IPL matches in the IPL, with 14 of them as captain. Under his Captaincy, the team has won 5 games and lost 7, and 2 matches have ended in a tie.

 7.Delhi Capitals- Axar Patel: ₹16.5cr

In IPL 2025 Delhi Capitals announced Axar Patel as a Captain. Delhi Capitals retained Axar for ₹16.5 crore in IPL 2025. He is a very crucial player for the team, contributing with both bat and ball. Axar Patel has been a key player for Delhi Captails in the IPL, performing well with both bat and ball. In 150 matches, he has scored 1,653 runs, with his highest score being 66. He has an average of 21.47 and a strike rate of 130.88. Axar Patel took 123 wickets in the IPL, with an average of 30.55 and an economy rate of 7.28. His best bowling figures are 4/21.

8.Mumbai Indians - Hardik Pandya: ₹16.35 Crore

After a challenging season in IPL 2024, five-time champions Mumbai Indians have trusted Hardik Pandya to lead them again in IPL 2025. He rejoined the team last year for ₹15 crore. Hardik Pandya has played 137 matches in the IPL, with 45 of them as captain. Under his Captaincy, the team has won 26 games and lost 19, with no matches ending in a tie.

9.Royal Challengers Bengaluru - Rajat Patidar: ₹11 Crore

Royal Challengers Bengaluru is beginning a new journey in IPL 2025 with Rajat Patidar as their captain. RCB team takes retention for ₹11 crore this season. Rajat Patidar, a strong middle-order batter, has played 27 IPL matches, scoring 799 runs at an impressive strike rate of 158.85. His highest score of 112* shows his ability to play match-winning innings in crucial games.

10.Kolkata Knight Riders - Ajinkya Rahane: ₹1.50 Crore

Defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders will have Ajinkya Rahane as their new captain for IPL 2025. The experienced batter joined the team for ₹1.5 crore in the mega auction. Ajinkya Rahane has played 185 IPL matches in the IPL, with 25 of them as captain. Under his Captaincy, the team has won 9 games and lost 16, with no matches ending in a tie.

Axar Patel will lead Delhi Capitals (DC) in IPL 2025. He has been with the team since 2019 and was their top pick for ₹16.50 crore before the mega auction last November. While he hasn’t captained much, he was named India's T20I vice-captain in January, and now his skills are shown as captain of Delhi Capitals.

Axar Patel led Gujarat in 23 matches across different formats, including the 2024-25 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy. He also captained Delhi Capitals in one IPL match last season a must-win game against RCB, which they lost, missing out on the playoffs. That match came when Rishabh Pant was suspended for a slow over-rate.

With Pant no longer in the DC squad after the mega auction, Axar became their most experienced player. He has played 82 matches for the team over six seasons. In IPL 2024, he scored 235 runs at an average of 30 and took 11 wickets with an economy rate of 7.65.

"It’s a great honor to captain Delhi Capitals, and I’m really grateful to the owners and support staff for believing in me," Axar said. "Being part of this team has helped me grow both as a cricketer and as a person, and I feel ready and confident to take on this responsibility.  

"Our coaches and scouts have done a great job at the mega auction, building a strong and well-balanced squad with a lot of potential. We have many experienced players in the team, which will make my job easier. I can’t wait to join the squad and, with the amazing support of our fans, make this a successful season for the Capitals." The squad includes KL Rahul and Faf du Plessis, both of whom have captained IPL teams before, along with senior international player Mitchell Starc.

ALSO READ: PSL’s Title Agreement Continues, New Sponsorship Possibilities Ahead  

DC chairman Kiran Kumar Grandhi shared his excitement about Axar’s appointment, saying, "We’re really happy to have Axar as our captain. He has been a key part of the Delhi Capitals family since 2019 and truly represents what this team stands for. His leadership journey has been a natural one—from being vice-captain for two seasons to now leading the team. He has always stepped up when needed, and with the full support of our coaches and senior players, I’m confident he’ll do a fantastic job."  

- Won T20 World Cup.
- Won Champions Trophy.
- Vice Captain of India T20I Team.
- Captain of Delhi Capitals.

AXAR PATEL HAS BEEN INCREDIBLE IN LAST ONE YEAR - NOW CAPTAIN AXAR FOR DELHI. 🌟 pic.twitter.com/cbOAP9BCFB

— Tanuj Singh (@ImTanujSingh) March 14, 2025

Co-owner Parth Jindal also praised Axar, saying, "I’ve seen Axar grow both as a player and a leader at Delhi Capitals. When we picked him in 2019, I built a bond with him that goes beyond cricket. Over the last two years as vice-captain, he has been a well-loved member of the squad, and I have no doubt that he will inspire and motivate the team as captain."

With DC announcing Axar as their captain, all five teams that needed a new Captain after the mega auction have made their picks. Rajat Patidar will captain RCB, Ajinkya Rahane will lead Kolkata Knight Riders, Rishabh Pant will be in charge of Lucknow Super Giants, and Shreyas Iyer will captain Punjab Kings.

Delhi Capitals Add Two New Fielding Coaches for IPL 2025

The 18th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is around the corner, Delhi Capitals have strengthened their coaching staff by bringing in Gnaneswara Rao and Anton Roux as fielding coaches for IPL 2025. They will work closely with Head Coach Hemang Badani, Assistant Coach Matthew Mott, and Bowling Coach Munaf Patel to guide the team to win the cup this year.

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Delhi Capitals (@delhicapitals)

Anton Roux, a former South African domestic cricketer, has a strong background in coaching and has helped many young players to get freedom for all-round performance in the game. He has previously worked as the Bowling Coach for South Africa and the Fielding Coach for Sri Lanka. Gnaneswara Rao is already part of the Delhi Capitals family, having played for India Capitals in the Legends League and served as the Fielding Coach for Dubai Capitals in the ILT20, where they won the title.

 During his playing career, he featured in 23 T20 matches, scoring 429 runs at a strike rate of 123.98. He was also part of the IPL 2011 team, Kochi Tuskers Kerala. Delhi Capitals are happy to welcome them on board for the upcoming season. The team will begin their IPL 2025 campaign in Visakhapatnam on March 24.

ALSO READ: Players With Most Sixes In Champions Trophy 2025

Axar Patel Likely to Captain Delhi Capitals in IPL 2025

After making big changes at the IPL 2025 mega auction, Delhi Capitals are eager to chase their first-ever title in IPL 2025. With Rishabh Pant taking the Lucknow Super Giants Captain, Delhi Capitals need a new captain to take charge.

🚨 AXAR PATEL AS CAPTAIN OF DELHI CAPITALS 🚨

- Axar Patel is likely to be named as the New Captain of Delhi Capitals. (IANS). pic.twitter.com/1YWGdfAVSn

— Tanuj Singh (@ImTanujSingh) March 11, 2025

Axar Patel, KL Rahul, and Faf du Plessis were considered for the Captaincy role. However, reports from IANS suggest that KL Rahul has declined the offer, making Axar Patel the favorite to lead the Delhi Capitals in IPL 2025.

IPL will be commencing from 22 March which is less than 2 weeks ago. Every team has announced their captains. Recently LSG announced Rishab Pant as their captain who was bought at the whopping price of 27 Crores and Punjab Kings announced Shreyas Iyer as their captain who was bought at the price of 26.5 crores. The balance only team yet to announce their captain is Delhi capitals who were waiting for Champions Trophy to commence. 

Even the Champions Trophy commenced in a better way where India became Champions of the Champions Trophy after 12 years of wait which was missed in 2017. It was Indian players who held their nerves at the important stage of the game where wickets started leaking but finally, a collective team effort gave the extreme result. 

Read more: Hardik Pandya Gives A Hilarious Reply To A Pakistan Journalist

Delhi Capitals May Announce Their Captain Soon

Three teams were left announcing the team but before CT two teams LSG and Punjab Kings announced their captain. Delhi played the waiting for the Champions Trophy to end where they could analyse whom to pick as the captaincy material. Two players are in the frontline who can lead the team. One is Axar Patel the all-rounder who could turn over the game. Another one is Kl Rahul the wicketkeeper batsman who is in the contention of captaincy race too. 

Rahul has the experience in handling the captaincy for Punjab Kings and Lucknow Super Gaints where he led LSG for two playoffs having the good accuracy in captaincy. Axar Patel who is with Delhi for seven season who has played 150 games . Scored above 1000 runs and took over 132 wickets can be potential candidate for captaincy too. Though Axar don't have any prior experience of captaincy anything is possible in Delhi camp.

Read More: List OF All Trophies Won By Rohit Sharma As Captain

Kl Rahul Refuses The Captaincy Axar On Cards

Latest reports suggest that Kl Rahul has declined the captaincy from Delhi camp which straightly puts Axar as the front runner for captaincy choice. Kl Rahul who was the expensive buys (14 crore) of Delhi states that Delhi asked him to lead the team but he refused and said he would be happy to contribute to the team as a player. We all know there was a slight clash between Sanjeev Goenka and Kl Rahul which showed the franchise owner was unimpressed with Rahul's tactics. 

I will not ask for captaincy in whichever franchise I go to if I am provided with a good environment where I am loved, cared and respected, that's enough for me. If you feel my skills are good and you find something good in my play I will happily take it. For now, I want to be in a good environment that's enough for me. Another prospect is that Rahul and his wife Athiya are expecting their first baby and he will expecting to spend some time in rest days. His main priority is to happily contribute to the team. 

30 to win off 30 and South Africa were cruising in the T20 World Cup Finals last year. The game was slipping away until Jasprit Bumrah came with a magical spell to bring the trophy home. He was center stage again during the Border Gavaskar Trophy finishing with 30+ wickets, dominating and single-handedly keeping India through the series. Ruled out though, the Champions Trophy was always going to be a challenge for India. Their strike bowler was gone and India were going in without a trump card seemingly. Dubai though, with its spin allowed India to trust their vintage spin.

Most teams go in with two spinners and maybe a part-timer on conditions that offer a good amount of turn. India, though, started with three to challenge Pakistan and Bangladesh. They then decided that they could do with one more, bringing their final Trump card, Varun Chakravarthy, in to play four spinners. Dubai was helping them with a lot of spin and slowness on tired tracks that have recently hosted the ILT20. From the norm of two spinners and a part timer, India went with not three but four spinners of differing variety. Two of them are left-arm spinners who bat as good as anyone in the top five thus extending the batting line-up to number eight while giving six genuine bowling options. They also went with two wrist-spinners using both hands with a lot of mystery behind them.

In Axar Patel, India had a left-arm spinner who could bowl in the powerplay while also batting at number five gave India a leftie in the middle-order. The other left-arm spinner, Ravindra Jadeja, is among the greatest all-rounders in the game and is a proven master of the middle-overs. In each game he was as quick as ever into his overs, finishing them in less than two minutes giving batters little time to breath. His fielding is an added bonus with the arm as good as ever. Kuldeep Yadav the third one comes with a lot of mystery and woke up as a death bowler in the tournament bowling a fair chunk of his overs in the last ten of the innings. The fourth one, Varun Chakravarthy comes in with mystery of his own. He is relatively new as well in the international circuit and can bowl equally well through the innings.

With the quartet, India were quick in spinning webs around the batters. Solid starts quickly became slow paced with batters struggling to find the boundary or even get the ball past the square for a single. The final was clear evidence of the spinners doing their magic. At 57 for no loss in the 9th over, Will Young and Rachin Ravindra were running away with the game. Varun Chakravarthy though opened the game up with a beauty to get Will Young and Kuldeep Yadav bowled what could be the ball of the Final to get Rachin Ravindra. He picked the wicket of Williamson as well and that set New Zealand into snooze mode. The intent was gone and India had the best men to make the most of it. Axar Patel started but it was Ravindra Jadeja, introduced in the 19th over who got into his rhythm. It was his day as he bowled over after over, hitting the same line and length that made him dangerous for so many years. There wasn't much spin but he was getting it to grip, and being the fastest of the four he was tough to get under. Jadeja rushed through his overs bowling nine unchanged and getting Tom Latham out sweeping. He followed with some energetic chases and rocket throws while finishing the innings at number eight highlighting his value once more in the side.

The middle-overs shift though was not his alone. With Jadeja holding one end, the attacking bowlers took the other ends with Kuldeep, Axar and Chakravarthy rotating. Kuldeep and Chakravarthy had already laid the groundwork with three wickets between them and Rohit Sharma used the three of them beautifully in bursts. It was Chakravarthy who got Glenn Phillips again at the right time with Phillips just getting into his groove heading into the slog overs. The other left-arm spinner, Axar Patel, comes in slightly differently. Taller than Jadeja, he brings in the extra bounce and he was just as good, if not better than Jadeja at applying the squeeze, picking up wickets as well at key points. For Axar though, bowling was not the only aspect. His batting in the top five was equally crucial. He played a key knock in the Final, as the leftie in the middle-order.

With Kuldeep Yadav, India did not miss Bumrah as Yadav took the death overs and bowled them really well. The true trump card though was Varun Chakravarthy who was tough to pick. Teams could not read him as he took nine wickets in the three matches he played. Had he started the Player of the Tournament medal could have well been his. The tournament had a lot of dominance with the batters making marks at different times. The engine room though was clearly the spin quartet, which is something that is very rare to see and something Cricket might not see as often.

Indian Team lifted the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 after defeating New Zealand in the final at the Dubai International Stadium. The tournament was played in a hybrid format India’s matches, including the semifinal and final, were held in Dubai, while the rest of the games took place in Pakistan across Lahore, Karachi, and Rawalpindi. Meanwhile, the ICC picked Mitchell Santner as the captain of their Team of the Tournament for his brilliant captaincy in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

Pakistan, the defending champions and hosts, had a tough time in the tournament, failing to win a single game. They lost their first two matches to New Zealand and India, while their last group-stage game against Bangladesh was abandoned due to rain. Pakistan has a tough time in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

ALSO READ: Top 5 Indian Cricketers Who Love Being Social Media Influencers

ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Team of the Tournament

1. Rachin Ravindra (New Zealand)
   Rachin Ravindra had an outstanding tournament, scoring 251 runs at an average of 62.75, including two centuries. His brilliant performances earned him the Player of the Tournament award.

2. Ibrahim Zadran (Afghanistan)
   Ibrahim Zadran was Afghanistan’s standout batter, scoring 216 runs at an average of 72, including a century. Unfortunately, Afghanistan’s journey ended early after their last group-stage match against Australia was washed out.

3. Virat Kohli (India)
   Virat Kohli once again showed his class, scoring an unbeaten century against Pakistan. He finished the tournament with 218 runs at an average of 54.5.

4. Shreyas Iyer (India)
   Shreyas Iyer was solid in India’s middle order, scoring 243 runs at an average of 48.6, with two crucial fifties and helping India to win the Crucial final against New Zealand.

5. KL Rahul (wk) (India)
   KL Rahul made valuable contributions both with the bat and behind the stumps. He scored 140 runs at an incredible average of 140, with his highest score being 42*. His unbeaten knock in the final against New Zealand played a big role in India’s victory.

6. Glenn Phillips (New Zealand)
   Glenn Phillips was one of the best fielders in the tournament, taking five catches. He also contributed with the bat, scoring 177 runs at an average of 59, and even took two wickets.

7. Azmatullah Omarzai (Afghanistan)
   Azmatullah Omarzai was impressive with both bat and ball. He scored 126 runs at an average of 42 and picked up seven wickets, including a brilliant five-wicket haul.

8. Mitchell Santner (c) (New Zealand)
   Mitchell Santner was chosen as the captain after leading New Zealand to the final. He had a solid tournament with the ball, taking nine wickets at an average of 26.6 and an economy rate of 4.80.

9. Mohammed Shami (India)
   Mohammed Shami played a key role in India's bowling attack, picking up nine wickets in the tournament. He made a strong start with a five-wicket haul in India's opening match against Bangladesh.

10. Matt Henry (New Zealand)
    Matt Henry was one of the standout bowlers of the tournament, taking 10 wickets at an average of 16.7 with an economy of 5.32. Unfortunately, he was ruled out of the final beacuse of injury.

11. Varun Chakaravarthy (India)
    Varun Chakaravarthy was one of the brilliant spinners in the tournament. He picked up nine wickets at an average of 15.1 while keeping his economy rate at just 4.53.

    12: Axar Patel (India)
          Axar Patel was among the top all-rounders in the tournament. He took five wickets at an average of 39.2 with an economy of 4.35. He also made valuable                contributions with the bat, scoring 109 runs, including a crucial 29-run knock in the final in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.

ICC squad of Champions Trophy

Rachin Ravindra, Ibrahim Zadran, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Glenn Phillips, Azmatullah Omarzai, Mitchell Santner (c), Mohammed Shami, Matt Henry, Varun Chakaravarthy, 12th player: Axar Patel

The Indian cricket team has always been a force to be reckoned with, but their recent showings hint at a level of control we've never seen before. A key stat from the 2020s sheds light on how Indian batsmen are setting new standards in One Day Internationals (ODIs).

Batting Exallence Since 2020
An interesting pattern has shown up in ODIs: five batsmen worldwide have hit 2000+ runs while keeping an average above 45 and a strike rate above 90. , all five are Indian.

Dominance Since 2022: A Well-Rounded Batting Order
A closer look at how Indian batsmen have performed since 2022 shows why this might be one of the most complete batting lineups India has ever fielded. A mix of smart run-taking big hitting, and understanding of the game makes them a tough challenge for any bowling team.

What Makes This Indian Team Special? 

• Well-Rounded Batting Order – India boasts an ideal combination of aggressive batsmen steady players, and those who finish games .  
• High-Scoring and Steady – Scoring quickly while keeping high averages is uncommon in today's cricket. 
• Adaptability – Team members adjust their playing style to suit different game situations providing both stability and aggression when necessary. 
• Smart Play – Few dot balls and clever boundary-hitting strategies make them an effective and unpredictable batting group. 

Also Read: India’s Champions Trophy Triumph: Twitter Explodes with Reactions

Are They Among the All-Time Greats?  
India's control of ODI batting in recent years can't be disputed. Several players maintain outstanding averages and scoring rates setting a high bar in today's limited-overs cricket. The only thing missing to cement their place in history? More ICC trophies.  

As the team keeps setting new records, it's reasonable to say we're watching one of the best ODI teams ever.