IPL 2025: Strongest Delhi Capitals playing 11

Delhi Capitals (DC), deprived of an IPL title since the inception of the league, built a solid team for the IPL 2025 season in a bid to end the title drought. Owned by GMR and Jindal group, and mentored by Sourav Ganguly, the men at the table did a fabulous job to build a balanced lineup.For starters, DC bought wicket-keeper batter KL Rahul for a steal price of INR 14 crore. Rahul, who parted ways with LSG, is likely to replace Rishabh Pant as captain. As said by Parth Jindal, Axar is also in line for a leadership role.

Besides, DC also retained Axar Patel, Tristan Stubbs, and Kuldeep Yadav to bolster the all-rounder depth. Amongst the notable auction picks, DC managed to buy Mitchell Starc, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Faf du Plessis and Harry Brook. Amongst the uncapped category, Madhav Tiwari, Darshan Nalkande, and Tripurana Vijay were also added to the final squad. 

With the 23-member squad nicely put together, let’s explore the strongest XI for Delhi Capitals for the IPL 2025 edition:

1. KL Rahul

KL Rahul, the prolific Indian middle-order batter, will open the innings for DC in IPL 2025. Having batted as an opener for the majority part of his career, Rahul will be the preferred choice. His aggressive intent and seniority will be perfect to kick-start things for DC.

2. Jake Fraser-McGurk

Australian opener Jake Fraser McGurk should be KL Rahul’s opening partner for DC. In his debut IPL season in 2023, Fraser McGurk smashed over 300 runs with an impressive strike rate of 234.04. His pairing with Rahul will allow DC to maximize the power play.

3. Abhishek Porel

After having a breakout year in IPL 2024, Abhishek Porel was retained by DC, and hence, he will continue to anchor the innings at no.3. Porel is an excellent batter against spin, and his ability to play smartly according to the situation will be an advantage for DC.

4. Harry Brook

English powerhouse Harry Brook is an appropriate choice at no.4 for DC. He is in some form lately, having scored 300 in a Test match against Pakistan and a blazing finishing knock against West Indies in the T20I series. Brook’s IPL stats include a century against SRH, and hence, DC will bank on him to shift gears at no.4

5. Tristan Stubbs

All-rounder Tristian Stubbs was retained by DC, and he will be tasked to play as a finisher. His power and intent to tackle spin head-on will be crucial for Delhi’s impact in middle and death overs. Moreover, Stubbs can also play a composed knock in the face of adversity.

6. Ashutosh Sharma

Uncapped middle-order batter Ashutosh Sharma is a strong choice at no.6 for DC. In his debut season, Sharma won many matches for PBKS while hitting at a strike rate of 167.25. He can hit long and consistently to put pressure on the opposition bowling attack.

7. Axar Patel

Axar Patel will be a key all-rounder for Delhi Capitals. He is flexible to fit anywhere in the lineup and can bat according to the situation. Axar’s crucial overs with spin will also be crucial. He recently showed his flair in the T20 World Cup and hence DC retained him for INR 16.50 crore.

8. Kuldeep Yadav

Kuldeep Yadav will naturally lead the bowling attack as a senior leg spinner. Having been retained for INR 13.25 crore, Kuldeep has 87 wickets in the IPL. Last year, Kuldeep fetched 16 wickets in 11 games for DC. Hence, Kuldeep’s spin masterclass will be key to DC’s success in IPL 2025.

9. Mitchell Starc 

Australian veteran fast bowler Mitchell Starc will lead DC’s pace attack. Last year, he was part of KKR and picked 17 wickets, including a match-winning spell in the final. Owing to his experience and Aussie mentality, Starc will start at no.9 in Delhi’s starting XI.

10. T Natarajan 

T Natarajan, the left-arm fast bowler, will be DC’s trump card. Across 6 seasons in the IPL, the pacer scalped 67 wickets with an 8.84 economy. Natarajan is an effective bowler with the new ball as well as in death overs. Given his experience, Natarajan will be an everyday choice for Delhi.

11. Mukesh Kumar

Mukesh Kumar is another quality pacer who had a great season in IPL 2024. In 10 games, he picked 17 wickets, including a best figure of 3/14. With the new ball, Mukesh will be a wicket-taking option for Delhi Capitals. He is well-versed in DC culture and will be happy to return for IPL 2025.