Axar Patel does not want to captain Delhi Capitals, alternative is KL Rahul: former opener

Delhi Capitals could have a change of captain ahead of IPL 2027 Rishabh Pant returns to the franchise after two seasons with Lucknow Super Giants. However, who will lead the side remains uncertain, with former India opener Aakash Chopra suggesting that Axar Patel does not want to continue as captain and KL Rahul could emerge as an option.

Speaking to JioStar about the game plan, Chopra said the Capitals have several candidates for the leadership role after Pant’s return through the trade that saw wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav move to Lucknow.

“Actually, there are more questions. It’s an MCQ because who will be the captain? Rishabh Pant was a candidate for the captaincy, KL Rahul is one option and I heard that Axar doesn’t want to be the captain. So, with everything going on, you don’t even know who will captain the side. At this stage, it could well be KL Rahul,” Chopra said.

Axar led Delhi Capitals in the last two seasons of the IPL, taking over the captaincy after Pant moved to Lucknow ahead of the 2025 edition. The all-rounder had a promising start to his 2025 leadership, leading Delhi to five wins in the first six matches. However, the team lost momentum in the second half of the campaign, finishing fifth and missing out on the playoffs. Their 2026 campaign also ended without qualifying for the play-offs, with Delhi finishing sixth.

Meanwhile, Rahul has previous experience of managing an IPL franchise. He captained Lucknow Super Giants for three seasons from 2022 to 2024 and led them to the playoffs in his first two campaigns. However, since joining Delhi Capitals ahead of IPL 2025, Rahul has played under Axar and has not been handed the captaincy.

Pant’s return now adds another dimension to the discussion. The wicket-keeper batsman led Delhi from 2021 to 2024 before moving to Lucknow to manage the franchise in IPL 2025 and 2026. Chopra believes the Capitals also need to ensure that Pant is used in the right batting position after the trade.

“And Rishabh Pant, now that you’ve traded him, he has to bat in the top four. If you bat him lower, then you’re not going to get the most out of him. I felt LSG was better off in this trade because you couldn’t ask for more than a bowler of Kuldeep’s caliber on this pitch,” he said.

Pant stepped down as captain of Lucknow Super Giants after the end of the 2026 season before being traded to Delhi Capitals. The wicket-keeper batsman endured a few poor seasons as LSG captain before making the call.

It will be a big challenge head coach Sourav Ganguly and his new coaching staff, which also includes former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh.

WILL STARC AVAILABLE FOR IPL 2027?

While Pant’s return will boost Delhi’s batting options, Chopra believes their bowling department could be a bigger problem for the 2027 season. In particular, the uncertainty over Mitchell Starc’s availability could leave the franchise with questions to address in the pace department.

All eyes will be on Starc, the 36-year-old speedster has a demanding international program next year. Australia are set to play a five-Test series in India before traveling to England for the Ashes, with the ODI World Cup in South Africa scheduled for October-November. Starc has earlier opted out of the IPL season to prioritize international commitments and his availability could once again be an issue for Delhi Capitals.

Clarity is expected by November 17, the IPL retention deadline, when Delhi Capitals will have to decide whether to retain the Australian fast bowler ahead of the 2027 season.

“Ashutosh, Sameer Rizvi, Tristan Stubbs, plus Axar Patel, and then you have Miller. So it’s a very decent set-up. The problem area for them will be their bowling department. Because Mitchell Starc, is he going to play? It’s going to be a conversation about whether he’s available to play or not. They’re going to face an issue with how fast they bowl.” he said.

The former India opener also pointed to the money invested in Delhi’s speed attack, with Mukesh Kumar costing Rs 8 crore, Auqib Nabi Rs 8.4 crore and Starc nearly Rs 12 crore. He felt that the franchise may face availability and form issues despite having several options.

“Mukesh is at 8 million rupees, Auqib Nabi is 8.4 million rupees and then you have Mitchell Starc at almost 12, so that’s a lot of money. Lungi Ngidi was cheap, auctioned for 2 million rupees. It turned out to be a fantastic deal. Dushmantha Chameeera and Kyle didn’t need to be more expensive players.” Their pedigree and current form is still shaky and Mukesh Kumar’s T20 numbers have actually dipped a bit,” he added.

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