In a surprising development ahead of IPL 2025, KL Rahul has declined Delhi Capitals’ (DC) captaincy offer, according to reports. The star batter, who was bought for ₹14 crore at the IPL 2025 mega auction, has opted to contribute solely as a player. With just days left before the tournament kicks off, Delhi Capitals remain the only franchise yet to announce their captain for the season.
KL Rahul Rejects Captaincy Offer
The Delhi Capitals management approached KL Rahul to take over as captain for IPL 2025, but the Indian wicketkeeper-batter has reportedly turned down the offer. Instead, he wishes to focus on his batting and not take on leadership responsibilities this season.
“Yes, Axar Patel is likely to be named as Delhi Capitals skipper for IPL 2025. The franchise had asked for KL Rahul to be the team’s captain, but he very much wishes to contribute for the side as a player in the upcoming tournament,” a source told IANS.
If Axar Patel is appointed captain, he will become one of the few Indian all-rounders to lead an IPL franchise.
KL Rahul’s Captaincy Record in IPL
KL Rahul led Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) for three seasons (2022-2024) and Punjab Kings before that. However, his captaincy tenure was controversial, especially after an animated chat with LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka in IPL 2024, leading to his release before the mega auction.
KL Rahul’s Captaincy Record in IPL
| Span | Matches | Wins | Losses | Ties | NR | Win % | Loss % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-2024 | 64 | 31 | 31 | 2 | 0 | 48.43% | 48.43% |
With KL Rahul stepping away from leadership, Axar Patel now emerges as the leading candidate for DC’s captaincy.
Delhi Capitals’ Squad for IPL 2025
- Batters: KL Rahul, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Karun Nair, Faf du Plessis, Sameer Rizvi, Ashutosh Sharma
- All-rounders: Axar Patel, Donovan Ferreira, Abishek Porel, Tristan Stubbs
- Bowlers: Mitchell Starc, T Natarajan, Mohit Sharma, Mukesh Kumar, Dushmantha Chameera, Kuldeep Yadav
- Withdrawn: Harry Brook (withdrawn from IPL 2025)
DC’s Leadership Dilemma
With Harry Brook pulling out and KL Rahul stepping away from the leadership role, Delhi Capitals face a tough decision in naming their skipper. While Axar Patel is the favorite, experienced players like Faf du Plessis could also be an option for DC.
With just days left before the IPL 2025 season begins, fans are eagerly waiting for the franchise to announce their new captain.
