Axar Patel’s stature as a cricketer continues to grow as the left-handed all-rounder has been named the captain of the Delhi Capitals team ahead of IPL 2025. Axar, who has featured in 82 matches for the Capitals since joining the team in 2019, takes over the reins from Rishabh Pant who moved to Lucknow Super Giants in the mega auction.
Axar captained DC once during the 2024 season when Pant missed out on a game due to a ban for slow over-rate. In terms of T20 captaincy experience, Axar has led his state Gujarat in 16 matches, while he was also promoted to T20I vice-captaincy earlier this year.
Axar, DC’s top retention for INR 16.5 Crore, holds an experience of 274 T20 matches since his debut in the shortest format 12 years back. He has scored 3088 runs, with 8 fifties, and claimed 239 wickets, including a hat-trick in 2016 playing for Kings XI Punjab in the IPL.
Speaking about his appointment, Axar said: “It is my absolute honour to captain the Delhi Capitals, and I’m deeply grateful to our owners and support staff for placing their faith in me. I’ve grown as a cricketer and a human being during my time here at the Capitals, and I feel ready and confident to lead this side going forward.”
The Delhi-based franchise begins their IPL 2025 campaign in Visakhapatnam on March 24 against LSG, a team that will be captained by their former skipper Pant.
Axar Patel
Captain, Delhi Capitals 💙❤️ pic.twitter.com/S2qNuuBO7T— Delhi Capitals (@DelhiCapitals) March 14, 2025
