Axar Patel reluctant to lead, Delhi Capitals on the mend ahead of IPL auction

Delhi Capitals captain Axar Patel during the toss before the start of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 cricket match between Lucknow Super Giants and Delhi Capitals in Lucknow. (PTI File Photo) NEW DELHI: As IPL franchises start planning for next month’s mini auction, Delhi Capitals are struggling to identify their captain for next season. TOI has learned that incumbent captain Axar Patel has expressed his reluctance to lead the team after going through two tough seasons.Sources said the franchise does not want to rule out Axar as captain, but it may take a lot of effort to convince him to continue with the job. The Capitals have failed to qualify for the playoffs the past two seasons. Although they came close in 2025, the final season was not pleasant as they finished sixth. Axar suffered a slump in form last year, scoring just 173 runs and 11 wickets in 14 matches.“Axar is very reluctant to continue as captain. The management is trying to convince him. Axar is very important to the franchise. The Capitals have turned down several lucrative trade offers this season. The management has held off on finalizing the captaincy until the auctions are completed,” a source told TOI.The Capitals overhauled the coaching staff by bringing back Sourav Ganguly as head coach and Yuvraj Singh as assistant coach after the franchise parted ways with previous head coach Hemang Badani and director of cricket Venugopal Rao. There are suggestions that the team’s management group was trying to be on the same page as Badani and Rao, which led to Axar’s indecision.