From Axar Patel To KL Rahul: 5 Players From Delhi Capitals To Watch Out For In IPL 2025

Ahead of the start of IPL 2025, here’s a look at five key players to watch out for Delhi Capitals:

T Natarajan: After his six-year stint with the Sunrisers Hyderabad coming to an end, despite having his best season, the left-arm pacer will have a point to prove in the coming season. Once touted as India’s finest death bowlers in the shortest format, the Tamil Nadu-born quick will look to be DC’s first choice for the high-pressure situations. He will also have the experience of Mitchell Starc by his side which could be the recipe for a lethal bowling partnership. Having struggled to maintain his form over the years, he would look to rectify this with the newfound management within the franchise to ensure that he can be considered in the international setup in the coming years.

Karun Nair: After having a memorable domestic campaign across all three formats, Karun Nair will look to do the same in what could be his shot at establishing himself as a regular in the IPL. Motivated and hungry to make his case for an international comeback, Nair will look to deliver a scintillating campaign to force the selectors to consider his case. With a slot in the middle-order up for grabs, Nair could be the ideal choice at 4 or 5 for DC. Considering his experience and form, he could be the game-changer that DC was looking for with the bat. But he will be under pressure with the franchise having the likes of the explosive Sameer Rizvi and Ashutosh Sharma lurking behind him for a spot in the side and it will be on the veteran to show that he can be just as aggressive with the bat, if not more.

Tristan Stubbs: After having his breakout season in the IPL last year, the South African international will look to up his game even further. Last year, he was among DC’s best batters having scored 378 runs at a strike-rate of 190.91 and averaging 54. His role in the middle-order will most likely be the same as last year, but he would want to play a more prominent role in a winning cause for the team in the coming season. Another key aspect would be his bowling. With DC having no decent spin options barring Kuldeep and Axar, Stubbs could be called on to roll his arm for an over or two in spin-friendly conditions as well. All in all, the 24-year-old will look to continue where he left off and possibly improve on last year’s performances.

KL Rahul: The experienced campaigner will look to redeem himself in his new home. But it remains to be seen where he would be batting considering the presence of both Jake Fraser-McGurk and Faf du Plessis in the side, both of whom are known for opening the batting. Nonetheless, Rahul who has showcased his ability to change positions as and when required, could likely be asked to come down to 3 and possibly lower according to the situation. Another key aspect he will look to rectify is the strike-rate concerns hampering him in the past few years. Considering the impact player rule and T20 cricket seeing a rise in more aggressive batting trends, a more aggressive KL Rahul could be on the cards for the coming season.

Axar Patel: With the responsibilities as a full-time captain hanging over his shoulder coupled with his all-round duties, it will be exciting to see whether the southpaw can figure out how to juggle all the responsibilities and also ensure that he can make the right calls as the skipper. In addition, Axar has also shown his capability of being a reliable batting option, even being promoted to number 4 or 5 depending on the situation and playing a handy knock. With regards to the bowling aspect, he would want to be bringing in more wickets considering the lack of spin options barring himself and Kuldeep Yadav. Being a truly versatile and adaptable player in every sense, he will look to make use of his skills to contribute to the team and hopefully give them a successful first year as captain.