IPL 2020 runners-up Delhi Capitals (DC) failed to reach the playoffs in the last three seasons. So they are unsurprisingly desperate to change their present records. After recording their three successive playoff advances, including playing in the IPL 2020 final, DC finished in the 5th, 9th, and 8th places, respectively, in the last three IPL seasons.  

Delhi Capitals had to leave Rishabh Pant and retained only four players. Although they spent INR 43.75 crore to retain four players, they had to deduct INR 47 crore due to the official rules. It meant that they could spend INR 73 crore in the mega auction. 

Delhi Capitals: Key additions from the mega auction

Delhi Capitals put in a strong bid for KL Rahul as they set him in the squad by splurging INR 14 crore. Australian left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Starc, who was the most expensive player in the IPL auction history as Kolkata Knight Riders bought him for INR 24.75 crore during the IPL 2024 auction, joined the Capitals for INR 11.75 crore. The franchise also signed T Natarajan for INR 10.75 crore.

DC used RTM for the Australian batter Jake Fraser-McGruk and Indian pacer Mukesh Kumar for INR 9 crore and 8 crore, respectively, which is lesser than the official retained values. They also won the bid for Harry Brook, Faf du Plessis, Mohit Sharma, Dushmantha Chameera, etc. 

SEE ALSO: IPL 2025: Ranking all ten teams squads post the 2025 IPL Mega Auction

DC Full Squad

Batters: (RTM) Jake Fraser-McGruk (Australian), Harry Brook (English), Faf du Plessis (South African)

Wicketkeepers: Tristian Stubbs (retained/South African), Abhishek Porel (retained), KL Rahul, Donovan Ferreira (South African)

All-rounders: Axar Patel (retained), Sameer Rizvi, Ashutosh Sharma, Darshan Nalkande, Vipraj Nigam, Ajay Mandal, Manvanth Kumar, Tripurana Vijay, Madhav Tiwari 

Spinners: Kuldeep Yadav (retained)

Pacers: (RTM) Mukesh Kumar, Mitchell Starc (Australian), Dushmantha Chameera (Sri Lankan), T Natarajan, Mohit Sharma 

Brief SWOT analysis

Delhi Capitals have great names in the batting line-up. From top-order to middle-order, the team has batters who have set examples with their consistent performances in the shorter format. DC all-rounders are full of talented Indians, but Axar Patel is the only experienced one of them. 

As Delhi Capitals have strong names in the batting and bowling, the inexperienced all-rounders will get strong support. However, except for KL Rahul, Abhishek Porel, and Axar Patel, there are no strong Indian names in the batting line-up. 

Delhi Capitals have strong and experienced pace-bowling lineups. Talking about their spinners, Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel will take the main charges. 

DC Best Possible XI for IPL 2025

KL Rahul, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Faf du Plessis, Tristan Stubbs/Harry Brook, Abishek Porel, Ashutosh Sharma, Axar Patel, Mitchell Starc, Mohit Sharma/Mukesh Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav, T. Natarajan

One-time IPL runners-up Delhi Capitals (DC) are dreaming of setting up a special team for IPL 2025, which could end their long wait for the trophy. 

Delhi Capitals started the IPL 2025 mega auction with a 73 crore purse remaining after official spending of INR 47 crore to retain four players, including three capped and one uncapped. 

Delhi Capitals bought KL Rahul, Mitchell Starc, and T. Natarajan for more than INR 10 crore. They used RTM for Jake Fraser-McGurk and Mukesh Kumar. Some of their other crucial buys were Faf du Plessis, Harry Brook, Mohit Sharma, etc. 

Pre Auction Retentions

(Capped)

Axar Patel (Indian): INR 16.50 Crore

Kuldeep Yadav (Indian): INR 13.25 Crore

Tristian Stubbs (South African): INR 10 Crore

(Uncapped)

Abhishek Porel (Indian): INR 4 Crore

Right-to-Match (RTM) card availability for the mega auction

2 capped players, or 1 capped + 1 uncapped player

Mega Auction Buys

KL Rahul (Indian): Base price INR 2 crore – Bid won INR 14 crore

Mitchell Starc (Australian): Base price INR 2 crore – Bid won INR 11.75 crore

T Natarajan (Indian): Base price INR 2 crore – Bid won INR 10.75 crore

RTM Jake Fraser-McGurk (Australian): Base price INR 2 crore – Bid won INR 9 crore 

RTM Mukesh Kumar (Indian): Base price INR 2 crore – Bid won INR 8 crore

Harry Brook (English): Base price INR 2 crore – Bid won INR 6.25 crore

Ashutosh Sharma (Indian): Base price INR 30 lakh – Bid won INR 3.80 crore

Mohit Sharma (Indian): Base price INR 50 lakh – Bid won INR 2.20 crore

Faf du Plessis (South African): Base price INR 2 crore – Bid won INR 2 crore

Sameer Rizvi (Indian): Base price INR 30 lakh – Bid won INR 95 lakh

Donovan Ferreira (South African): Base price INR 75 lakh – Bid won INR 75 lakh

Dushmantha Chameera (Sri Lankan): Base price INR 75 lakh – Bid won INR 75 lakh

Vipraj Nigam (Indian): Base price INR 30 lakh – Bid won INR 50 lakh

Karun Nair (Indian): Base price INR 30 lakh – Bid won INR 50 lakh

Madhav Tiwari (Indian): Base price INR 30 lakh – Bid won INR 40 lakh

Manvanth Kumar (Indian): Base price INR 30 lakh – Bid won INR 30 lakh

Tripurana Vijay (Indian): Base price INR 30 lakh – Bid won INR 30 lakh

Darshan Nalkande (Indian): Base price INR 30 lakh – Bid won INR 30 lakh

Ajay Mandal (Indian): Base price INR 30 lakh – Bid won INR 30 lakh

Full Squad

Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Tristan Stubbs, Abishek Porel, Mitchell Starc, KL Rahul, Harry Brook, Jake Fraser-McGurk, T. Natarajan, Karun Nair, Sameer Rizvi, Ashutosh Sharma, Mohit Sharma, Faf du Plessis, Mukesh Kumar, Darshan Nalkande, Vipraj Nigam, Dushmantha Chameera, Donovan Ferreira, Ajay Mandal, Manvanth Kumar, Tripurana Vijay, Madhav Tiwari.

Best Playing XI

KL Rahul, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Faf du Plessis, Tristan Stubbs/Harry Brook, Abishek Porel, Ashutosh Sharma, Axar Patel, Mitchell Starc, Mohit Sharma/Mukesh Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav, T. Natarajan

One-time IPL runners-up Delhi Capitals (DC) have announced the retention of the IPL 2025.

Delhi Capitals, formerly known as Delhi Daredevils, reached the semi-finals of the first two editions of the IPL (2008 and 2009). After playing in the playoffs in the IPL 2012, they missed the top four finishes for the straight six years. 

After reaching the playoffs for three successive IPL seasons since 2019, Delhi Capitals failed to finish in the top four in the last three seasons. They played their only IPL final in the 2020 editions, which Mumbai Indians won and Capitals finished as the runners-up.  

Since the IPL 2021, Rishabh Pant has been leading the Delhi Capitals. In his absence, David Warner led the team during the IPL 2023. Last season, Axar Patel played the stand-in captain role in the absence of Pant. 

Delhi Capitals' player retention

Delhi Capitals have retained four players for INR 43.75 crore, including three capped and one uncapped. As their official deduction is INR 47 crore (18cr+14cr+11cr+4cr), they can use the remaining 73 crores during the mega auction. 

(Capped)

Axar Patel (Indian): INR 16.50 Crore

Kuldeep Yadav (Indian): INR 13.25 Crore

Tristian Stubbs (South African): INR 10 Crore

(Uncapped)

Abhishek Porel (Indian): INR 4 Crore

Right-to-Match (RTM) card availability for the mega auction

2 capped players, or 1 capped + 1 uncapped player

Indian Premier League (IPL) team DC has decided to part ways with former Australia captain Ricky Ponting as their head coach, ending his seven-year stint with the franchise. The news, shared via DC’s official social media channels, has sparked considerable interest among Indian cricket enthusiasts.

It’s reported that former India captain Sourav Ganguly, who previously served as an advisor under Ponting, is a leading candidate to step into the coaching role for the upcoming season.

Ricky Ponting’s legacy and challenges

During his tenure, Ponting led the team through several T20 star studded lineups but couldn’t secure DC’s first IPL title. Even with captain Rishabh Pant’s return from injury in the recently concluded IPL 2024, DC finished sixth in the points table, missing out on a playoff spot.

“Dear Ricky, As you move on as our Head Coach, we’re finding it incredibly hard to put this down in words. The commitment, attitude and effort – they sum up our seven summers together,” DC’s statement said in X.

“Thank you for everything, Coach! Like you often close out. ‘Lets leave this here mate, grab a beer, get back to work tomorrow, yeah?” -statement added.

Prior to Ponting’s dismissal, Ganguly had hinted to the Bengali daily ‘Aajkaal’ that changes were being contemplated within the franchise. He confirmed his interest in taking over as head coach and has already begun discussions with team owners regarding potential player acquisitions for IPL 2025.

Sourav Ganguly new coach? 

“Let me give you some news. Ricky Ponting won’t be the DC coach any more. Geoffery Boycott is absolutely right! Ponting has not been able to take DC forward in these seven years. Need to talk to the management. I would suggest looking at Indian options for the coach,” Ganguly told Aajkaal.

“Why not me? Let’s see if I can do it or not. We need to rope in some new players. I wanted to bring in England’s new star Jamie Smith for DC’s SA20 side (Pretoria Capitals). He was even ready to come in, but then England will be busy for their India tour at that time,” Ganguly added.

When asked about his potential replacement, Ganguly openly expressed his willingness to take on the role himself. Since joining DC in 2019, Ganguly has worked closely with Ponting, but this recent development and Ganguly’s proactive approach indicate a new chapter for the franchise in the IPL.

Sourav Ganguly, who used to lead India’s cricket team, said that Ricky Ponting won’t be coaching Delhi Capitals in the next Indian Premier League season. Ponting has been coaching Delhi Capitals since 2018. Before that, he coached Mumbai Indians and helped them win the IPL in 2015. However, Delhi Capitals still haven’t won their first IPL title under his coaching.

While Ponting was coach, Delhi Capitals made it to the IPL final for the first time, but they didn’t win. Their recent performances have been disappointing, including this year’s IPL where they finished sixth with 7 wins and 7 losses. They haven’t made the playoffs since 2022.

Ponting’s coaching journey with Delhi Capitals

To turn things around, Delhi Capitals decided to part ways with Ricky Ponting. Sourav Ganguly, who directs cricket operations for the team, confirmed the news. Ganguly emphasized that Ponting couldn’t lead the team forward during his 7 years as head coach.

Ganguly expressed his goal of winning the IPL title next year and taking charge as head coach. He also mentioned plans to hire Indian coaches for the team.

“I have to plan for next year’s IPL. I want to win the IPL for Delhi Capitals once. The mega auction is next year, and hence I have started planning from now on,” Sourav Ganguly told

“Let me break a news. head Ricky Ponting will not be the coach of Delhi Capitals. Geoffrey Boycott was right, as Ponting has not been able to take the franchise forward in the past 7 years. I have to speak with the franchise and ask them to look at Indian coaches. I will be the head coach. Let’s see how I perform,” he added.

DC’s Director of Cricket Sourav Ganguly said that Delhi Capitals captain Rishabh Pant is an instinctive leader whose captaincy will improve with time and experience as well. However, Pant returned to competitive cricket after a long recovery from a horrific accident in December 2022. Under Pant’s leadership, DC registered seven wins in the group stage. And, with 14 points and a net run rate (NRR) of -0.377, their playoff chances are dependent on other teams’ results.

Rishabh Pant did well for DC

“Pant is a young captain, he’ll learn with time. The way he returned from injury to play a full season; we had our doubts during the off-season,” Ganguly told JioCinema. “Indian players are crucial, especially since the TATA IPL shifted to 10 teams. I am very happy for him that he returned to play so well over a full season. He has all my well-wishes for whatever is next.”

However, Rishabh Pant has opined on his captaincy on numerous occasions, but he has also made some mistakes as well. They also faced seven losses. Meanwhile, pacers Mukesh Kumar and Rasikh Dar Salam did well this season, and Ganguly applauded them.

ALSO READ: Zaheer Khan shares MS Dhoni’s plans after IPL 2024

“Mukesh has been our best bowler this season” – Sourav Ganguly

“With time, he’ll become a better captain. Nobody is a great captain from day one, but he is an instinctual captain, he makes decisions on the ground. With more time, he’ll get better,” he said.

“You’ve seen Rasikh’s development over time. The more matches he played, the better he got. It’s not easy to bowl on the Delhi wicket. This wicket is great, and the ground isn’t that big, so I think for any bowler, it isn’t easy to bowl here. Rasikh has improved a lot. Mukesh has been our best bowler this season. He bowls all the difficult overs, whether at the start or at the death. There has been no match this season where we didn’t need his bowling in the death. We knew that conceding sixes would lead to more losses, so he has consistently delivered there. Our Indian bowlers have been great this season,” he concluded.

Delhi Capitals assistant coach Pravin Amre has recently said that star India opener Prithvi Shaw’s exclusion from the last few games was justified considering the way Abishek Porel was batting in the tournament. Shaw, who played eight games, scored only 198 runs which came at an average of 24.75 and a strike rate of 163.63, and struck one half-century.

Prithvi Shaw faced poor form this season

“He [Shaw] was our retained played, and as you see, last four [of five] games he was also on the bench. But that’s the IPL,” Pravin Amre said after DC’s 19-run win over Lucknow Super Giants in their last league game of the season. “If you are not in form, you can’t [keep your place]. Ultimately, the pressure for the team is so much that every game is important and we have to win. And we had done that. Without playing him, we won the games. And whoever got the opportunity… I think Abishek grabbed the opportunities with both hands.”

ALSO READ: Zaheer Khan shares MS Dhoni’s plans after IPL 2024

Abishek Porel stepped up with the bat

However, Prithvi Shaw didn’t play the first two games of the season but scored a quickfire 43 off 27 balls against Chennai Super Kings in his first match as well. He also had a 40-ball 66 against Mumbai Indians but he lost his form after that. Porel, on the other hand, smashed 327 runs in 12 innings which came at a strike rate of 159.51. On Tuesday, he smashed 58 off 33 balls, helping DC score 73 in the powerplay, as he added a 92-run stand with Shai Hope for the second wicket as well.

“What an innings [Porel] played today,” Amre said. “We saw Jake [Fraser-McGurk] getting out in the first over and even then we managed to get 73 runs in the powerplay. I think that’s what was so critical and the credit goes to Shai Hope and Porel for getting that 92-run partnership today,” he concluded.

In the three matches Abhishek Porel played as an opener, he scored 159 runs at a strike rate of 165.62. Both his fifties also came at the top of the order as well.

Delhi Capitals registered a convincing win by 19 runs over Lucknow Super Giants at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi in the 64th match of the ongoing IPL 2024. Abishek Porel and Tristan Stubbs smashed quick knocks and Ishant Sharma claimed three wickets and helped the team win.

DC players did well with the bat

Lucknow Super Giants won the toss and opted to bowl first. Batting first, DC lost their in-form opener Jake Fraser-McGurk for a duck. However, Abishek Porel and Shai Hope maintained their good form and added 92 runs within 8.3 overs. Porel scored 58 off 33 with 5 fours and 4 sixes whereas Hope smashed 38 off 27 with 3 fours and two sixes as well.

However, after their dismissals, middle-order batters Rishabh Pant and Tristan Stubbs stepped up. While Pant scored a quickfire 33 off 23 with 5 fours, Tristan Stubbs’ unbeaten fifty and Axar Patel’s quick 14 helped them to post 208 runs in their allotted 20 overs with the loss of 4 wickets.

ALSO READ: Zaheer Khan shares MS Dhoni’s plans after IPL 2024

Nicholas Pooran scored a quick fifty

While chasing, Lucknow Super Giants had a poor start as their opener KL Rahul got out for a mere 5. Soon, they lost their upper order within the powerplay and that didn’t help them to get back in the game again. However, Nicholas Pooran tried to steady the ship with the middle-order batters. But neither Ayush Badoni nor Krunal Pandya could support him. Pooran scored 61 off 27 with 6 fours and 4 sixes.

However, Arshad Khan played a quickfire knock of 58* off 33 with the help of 3 fours and 5 sixes. But his quickfire knock couldn’t help his side as they lost by 19 runs as well.

After the match, KL Rahul said: “I feel the wicket remained the same throughout the 40 overs. When we got JFM out in the first over we should have capitalized, but they – Hope and Porel – showed a lot of intent. We did well at the back end and 200 was a par total, we should have chased it down. This has been a problem right through the season – we keep losing a lot of wickets in the powerplay, we never get a solid start to get the likes of Stoinis and Pooran in, that is the big reason why we are in this position.”

The 64th match of the IPL 2024 season will be played between Delhi Capitals vs Lucknow Super Giants at Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on Tuesday, May 14, 2024. However, Lucknow Super Giants won the toss and opted to bowl first.

DC won six games so far and lost seven as well. On the other hand, LSG won six games so far and they lost six games as well. However, both teams will try to win the game and keep the momentum on. This is going to be an exciting match for both teams as well.

ALSO READ: Zaheer Khan shares MS Dhoni’s plans after IPL 2024

IPL 2024: DC vs LSG, Match 64: Who said what at the toss?

Rishabh Pant: We would have batted first. There are a lot of things going on (regarding qualification) but you can only focus on winning the game. If you had not lost too many wickets we would have won that game, but easier to say that from sitting out. That is a concern throughout the season but as a captain you can ask the players to give their best and they are doing that. We have two changes – myself and Naib come in, Warner misses out.

KL Rahul: We will bowl first. It is because of how our team is placed and what will help our team. We are a young bowling attack and get them into the game early, we have experienced batters and they can take the pressure. It is pretty clear for us, we have to win both games. The last two games we have not been up to the mark and have been blasted out of the game. The bowlers have to be brave, as a bowling unit you might fear using change ups but they have to do just back themselves. Couple of changes.

Playing XIs:

Delhi Capitals: Abishek Porel, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Shai Hope, Rishabh Pant (w/c), Tristan Stubbs, Axar Patel, Gulbadin Naib, Rasikh Dar Salam, Mukesh Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav, Khaleel Ahmed

Lucknow Super Giants: KL Rahul (w/c), Quinton de Kock, Marcus Stoinis, Deepak Hooda, Nicholas Pooran, Krunal Pandya, Yudhvir Singh Charak, Arshad Khan, Ravi Bishnoi, Naveen-ul-Haq, Mohsin Khan

Delhi Capitals Impact Subs: Ishant Sharma, Kumar Kushagra, Praveen Dubey, Swastik Chikara, Lalit Yadav

Lucknow Super Giants Impact Subs: Manimaran Siddharth, Devdutt Padikkal, Ayush Badoni, Prerak Mankad, Krishnappa Gowtham

With the Delhi Capitals and Lucknow Super Giants locked in a battle for playoff contention, the stakes couldn’t be higher in their upcoming clash, the 64th match of the Indian Premier League. Despite residing in the mid-table, both teams remain firmly in the hunt for a playoff berth, each with 12 points to their name. As they go head-to-head in this pivotal encounter, expect a tense and thrilling contest, with both sides eager to secure the coveted fourth playoff spot and strengthen their position in the tournament.

As Delhi Capitals gear up for their next match following a disappointing 47-run defeat to Bangalore, they aim to bounce back strongly. Despite the setback, it’s essential to note that Delhi has enjoyed recent success, clinching victory in three of their last five matches. The return of their star batsman, Rishabh Pant, adds significant firepower to the lineup. Pant, the team’s leading run-scorer with 413 runs in 12 innings, missed their previous match due to suspension, making his presence all the more crucial for Delhi’s campaign.

See Also: IPL 2024: Team Analysis: What factors make SRH’s batting side so lethal this season?

Team Form Analysis – LSG & DC

In the upcoming game, two pivotal players to watch out for are Jake Fraser-McGurk and Tristan Stubbs. Fraser-McGurk has showcased remarkable form, accumulating 330 runs in only 8 matches, highlighting his explosive power at the start of innings with a striking strike rate of 237.41. Meanwhile, Stubbs has been equally influential, contributing 321 runs across 13 matches, boasting an impressive average of 45.85 and a swift strike rate of 185.54.

Delhi Capitals possess a formidable pace attack led by the lethal duo of Mukesh Kumar and Khaleel Ahmed. Both bowlers have clinched an impressive 16 wickets each in this season’s IPL. Mukesh is particularly known for his precision yorkers, while Khaleel boasts a commendable economy rate of 10.30. This potent combination of right-arm and left-arm pacers is poised to pose significant challenges for Lucknow’s batting lineup.

Additionally, Delhi’s arsenal includes the skilled left-arm wrist spinner, Kuldeep Yadav, who has been a trump card for the team. With 15 wickets in just 10 matches, Yadav has maintained an impressive economy rate of 8.69 and a striking strike rate of 15.60, further enhancing Delhi’s bowling strength.

Lucknow Super Giants commenced their IPL 2024 campaign on a strong note, clinching victories in three out of their initial four matches. However, their momentum has dwindled lately, evidenced by their defeat in five of the last seven games, including three out of the last four encounters. Despite this recent slump, KL Rahul remains a standout performer for the team. The opening batsman has showcased exceptional consistency, accumulating a notable 460 runs in 12 innings, significantly surpassing the run tally of any other Lucknow player.

While Rahul’s stellar contributions have been instrumental, Lucknow will seek to rejuvenate their early-season form by garnering impactful performances from other key players like Marcus Stoinis and Nicholas Pooran. With their playoff aspirations hanging in the balance, the team will rely on a collective effort to reignite their campaign and secure crucial victories in the remaining matches of the tournament.