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The Delhi Capitals (DC) enter IPL 2025 with renewed ambition, a fr🔯esh roster, and new leadership dynamics. After a sixth-place finish in 2024, the team has undergone significant changes, including a major captaincy shift and ▨key acquisitions aimed at strengthening both batting and bowling. With an eye on their first IPL title, DC will rely heavily on a few standout players to drive their campaign. Here’s an in-depth look at five players who could shape their fortunes this season.
IPL 2025: Here are the five DC players to watch out for
1. KL Rahul – The new middle-order mainstay
KL Rahul’s arrival at Delhi Capitals marks a major shift in his IPL career. Having played primarily as an opener for Punjab Kings and later Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), Rahul is set to take on a middle-order role with DC. This move comes after Harry Brook’s withdrawal, push♉ing Rahul into a position where he will be expected to anchor innings and 🔯provide much-needed stability.
Rahul’s IPL numbers are nothing short of elite—4,683 runs at an average of 45.46 and a strike rate of 134.60. While his ability to accelerate has been questioned at times, his consistency makes him one of the safest bets in T20 cricket. If he can adapt well to his new role, he could provide DC with the solidity they lacked last season in the middle overs. Additionally, his experience as a former IPL captain could prove invaluable in guiding Axar Patel, who is re𒆙latively new to๊ leadership at this level.
What to watch for:
- How well he transitions from opener to middle-order anchor.
- His ability to maintain an aggressive strike rate in pressure situations.
- His role as a senior player in decision-making alongside Axar Patel.
2. Axar Patel – The captain and all-rounder in focus
With Rishabh Pant moving to LSG, DC have entrusted Axar with the captaincy. While he has led Gujarat in domestic cricket, this will be his first major leadership ro🌠le in the IPL. His leadership credentials will be put to the test 𒀰as he guides a team filled with both seasoned stars and young talent.
Axar has been one of DC’s most consistent perf✃ormers in recent seasons, both with bat and ball. In IPL 2024, he scored 283 runs at a strike rate of 139.4 and picked up 12 wickets, proving his value as an all-rounder. His left-arm spin will be crucial in Delhi’s home games, where slower surfaces often favor spinners. More importantly, his tactical acumen will be under scrutiny, especially in close encounters where captaincy decisions can make all the difference.
What to watch for:
- How he handles leadership pressure in high-stakes matches.
- His role as a finisher and whether he can improve DC’s late-order batting.
- His ability to form a lethal spin partnership with Kuldeep Yadav.
Also READ: AB de Vi🌠▨lliers predicts the 4 semifinalists of IPL 2025
3. Tristan Stubbs – DC’s x-dactor in the middle order
Tristan Stubbs emerged as one of DC’s most exciting prospects in IPL 2024. The South African power-hitter finished the season with 378 runs at an average of 54, proving himself as a reliable finisher. His clean hitting and ability to 🧔accelerate in the death overs make him a vital asset for DC, particularly in matches where chasing big tota💞ls or setting high targets is crucial.
Stubbs’ T20 career has been on an upward trajectory, and IPL 2025 could be the season where he fully establishes himself as one of the league’s premier middle-order batsm♒en. If DC is to push fജor a playoff spot, Stubbs will need to complement Rahul’s stability with aggressive stroke play. His ability to take on both pacers and spinners makes him a dynamic threat, especially in the latter half of an innings.
What to watch for:
- His ability to replicate or improve upon his 2024 finishing exploits.
- Whether he can take on a leadership role in the middle order.
- His performances against high-quality spin attacks, which troubled him at times last season.
4. Mitchell Starc – The spearhead of DC’s bowling attack
After missing the Champions Trophy due to injury, Mitchell Starc r🌠eturns to the IPL with a point to prove. The Australian speedster remains one of the most fearsome pacers in world cricket, and his presence instantly strengthe🀅ns DC’s bowling attack. Given the high-pressure nature of T20 cricket, having a bowler who can deliver in both the powerplay and death overs is a massive advantage.
Starc’s ability to swing the new ball at e𒈔xpress pace makes him a dangerous prospect for any opposition. Additionally, his experience in crunch moments—be it in international tournaments or franchise leagues🐼—adds immense value to DC’s setup. His biggest challenge, however, will be staying injury-free throughout the long tournament.
What to watch for:
- His fitness and ability to play an entire IPL season without setbacks.
- Whether he can provide breakthroughs in the powerplay, something DC struggled with last year.
- His economy rate at the death, a phase where even the best bowlers struggle in the IPL.
5. Kuldeep Yadav – The key to DC’s middle-overs strategy
Kuldeep Yadav remains a crucial component of DC’s bowling attack. The wrist-spinner has r🏅einvented himself in the past few years, becoming one of India’s most reliable spinners in limited-overs cricket. His variations and ability to pick wickets in the middle overs make him an invaluable asset.
In IPL 2024, Kuldeep took 19 wickets at an economy rate of 7.8, consisten♏tly breaking partnerships and putting pressure on opponents. His role in IPL 2025 will be to support Axar and ensure that DC dominates the middle phase of games, especially on spin-friendly surfaces. If he can maintain his form, DC’s bowling attack will be one of the most well-rounded in th🌼e tournament.
What to watch for:
- His effectiveness against big-hitting batters who try to take him on early.
- His partnership with Axar and how they complement each other.
- His consistency in away games, especially on pitches that favor fast bowlers.
If the🔯se key players perform to their potential, DC could be serious contenders for their maiden IPL trophy. However, inconsistency has been their achilles’ heel in previous seasons. Overcoming that and maintaining momentum throughout the tou🌌rnament will be their biggest challenge.
