Delhi Capitals (DC) handed 18-year-old Sahil Parakha his first IPL cap for the match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on Monday, April 27 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. The Capitals made three changes for the clash, also bringing in Kyle Jamieson and Dushmantha Chameera.
Parakh replaced Pathum Nissanko as KL Rahul’s opening partner. The team opted for changes after a shock defeat to Shreyas Iyer’s Punjab Kings at the same venue, where they failed to defend a massive total of 264.
It hasn’t been the best campaign for the Capitals so far, as they sit seventh in the points standings with six points and a -0.184 net pace.
WHO IS SAHIL PARAKH?
Sahil Parakh is one of the youngest and most exciting prospects in the Delhi Capitals set-up, representing a new wave of Indian talent emerging through the age groups and domestic cricket. Born in 2007 in Nashik, Maharashtra, Parakh is a left-handed batsman who is also sidelined with right arm fractures.
He first made his mark in age-group cricket, progressing through the Maharashtra school and U-19 circuits with consistent performances. Parakh also captained the Maharashtra U-19 team and impressed in tournaments such as the Vinoo Mankad Trophy, where he highlighted both his leadership skills and reliability at the top of the order.
His breakthrough came on the international youth stage where he represented India in the under-19 competitions. A standout moment was his tremendous unbeaten century against Australia in the Youth ODI at Puducherry in 2024 where he showed his ability to dominate quality bowling attacks.
Parakh carried that form into the Maharashtra Premier League 2025 where he enjoyed a breakout season. Playing for the Eagle Nashik Titans, he scored 202 runs in eight matches at an impressive figure of 177.19, underlining his aggressive approach at the top. He also played in crucial moments, including a 68 off 33 balls in Qualifier 2 that helped his team reach the final.
He made his debut for Maharashtra last year in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy where he played only two matches. Recognizing his potential, Delhi Capitals secured Parakh at his base price of Rs 30 lakh in the IPL 2026 auction, adding him to a squad full of experienced internationals.
Recently, Parakh was in the news after he suffered a facial injury during training. At just 18, he remains a work in progress but is widely regarded as a future star.
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Issued by:
sabyasachi chowdhury
Published on:
27 Apr 2026 19:28 IST
