Back Delhi Capitals in IPL 2026

Delhi Capitals Squad 2026: Full Player List, Captain & Team Profile

Delhi Capitals head into IPL 2026 with a renewed sense of purpose under the captaincy of Axar Patel. The all-rounder brings both calmness and tactical intelligence to a side that has been rebuilding steadily over the past two seasons. With Hemang Badani in the dugout as head coach, the team structure looks sharper, and the squad depth suggests Delhi Capitals are ready to be genuine contenders this time around.

The squad assembled for IPL 2026 reflects a clear strategic vision. Delhi have covered all bases — explosive openers, experienced middle-order batters, elite international pacers, and a reliable spin attack. KL Rahul provides additional wicketkeeping assurance, while Mitchell Starc and Kuldeep Yadav offer an attack that can trouble any batting lineup on any surface.

With a balanced mix of youth and experience, Delhi Capitals have constructed one of the more complete squads in this edition. For a full overview of where they stand among the competition, check out the IPL 2026 team list to compare all ten franchises.

Delhi Capitals 2026 Upcoming Matches

Delhi Capitals have a demanding schedule ahead. Their campaign opens on the road against Lucknow Super Giants, which makes their first home fixture all the more significant. The Arun Jaitley Stadium provides a familiar advantage, and the team will be eager to make that count early in the season.

Stay updated on all fixtures and results across the tournament by visiting the IPL best team, where every squad and schedule is covered in one place.

Quick Facts: Delhi Capitals in IPL 2026

For a complete look at the playing group, visit the Delhi Capitals Players page.

Squad Breakdown

Delhi Capitals have assembled a well-rounded 25-man squad that balances proven international names with promising Indian talent. The batting unit is deep and versatile, the pace attack ranks among the most potent in the competition, and the spin department is anchored by one of the best wrist-spinners in T20 cricket. Here is a position-by-position breakdown of everyone in the Delhi Capitals squad for IPL 2026.

Batters

• Karun Nair — A technically sound right-hander who can anchor an innings or shift gears when needed.
• Nitish Rana — An aggressive left-handed batter who excels at taking on pace, particularly in the powerplay.
• Sameer Rizvi — A young and fearless hitter who has shown the ability to clear boundaries with minimal footwork.
• Prithvi Shaw — One of the most explosive openers in the IPL when at his best, capable of setting the tone in the first six overs.
• David Miller — A world-class finisher with an outstanding record under pressure in T20 cricket across formats.
• Ben Duckett — A creative left-hander with strong reverse-sweep options who can destabilize even quality spin attacks.
• Pathum Nissanka — A composed Sri Lankan opener with good temperament and the ability to build substantial partnerships.
• Ashutosh Sharma — A hard-hitting middle-order bat who has shown impressive power-hitting credentials in domestic cricket.
• Tripurana Vijay — A domestic circuit performer with solid technique and the ability to play long innings.

Wicket-keepers (WK-Batter)

• KL Rahul — One of India’s most reliable wicketkeeper-batters, Rahul combines elegance with match-winning capability across all phases.
• Tristan Stubbs — A South African powerhouse behind the stumps who is equally devastating with the bat in the death overs.
• Abishek Porel — A young Bengal wicketkeeper with clean glovework and a natural talent for aggressive strokeplay at the top of the order.

All-Rounders

• Axar Patel — The captain. A left-arm spinner and lower-order bat who leads by example on both fronts.
• Ajay Jadav Mandal — An emerging all-round option from the domestic ranks with solid off-spin and useful batting contributions.
• Madhav Tiwari — A developing all-rounder who provides squad depth and flexibility in team selection.
• Auqib Nabi Dar — A talented Kashmiri all-rounder whose leg-spin and batting make him a useful wildcard option.

Bowlers

• Kuldeep Yadav — One of the premier wrist-spinners in world T20 cricket. His ability to deceive both left and right-handers makes him invaluable.
• Mukesh Kumar — A seam-bowling specialist with good variations and the ability to move the ball in the powerplay.
• T Natarajan — Known for his pinpoint yorker execution, Natarajan is a death-overs specialist who thrives under pressure.
• Vipraj Nigam — A young off-spinning all-round prospect with the potential to surprise opposition batters.
• Mitchell Starc — Australia’s premier left-arm fast bowler. His new-ball threat and death-bowling skills are game-changing in the IPL format.
• Lungi Ngidi — A tall, express South African pacer who generates awkward bounce and can be lethal on responsive surfaces.
• Kyle Jamieson — A massive frame, sharp seam movement, and genuine pace make Jamieson a dangerous proposition, especially in the first six overs.
• Dushmantha Chameera — An experienced Sri Lankan fast bowler known for his pace and ability to extract bounce consistently.
• Sahil Parakh — A domestic seam bowler who adds local depth to the pace department.

Home Stadium: The Fortress

Arun Jaitley Stadium, located in the heart of New Delhi, is one of the most storied cricket venues in India. The ground holds close to 41,000 spectators, and on match days the atmosphere is electric. Delhi crowds are knowledgeable and passionate, and they have a track record of getting behind the home side in a way that genuinely affects the momentum of a contest. The noise levels during powerplay overs at this ground are among the loudest in the tournament.

From a tactical standpoint, the Arun Jaitley pitch tends to offer decent pace early in the innings, which suits Delhi’s pace-heavy attack. As the surface settles, spin comes into play — a factor that makes Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav even more dangerous in the middle overs. Teams chasing at this venue often find the conditions trickier than expected under lights, making Delhi’s first-innings total difficult to chase if Natarajan and Starc do their job in the final phase.

Season Outlook

Delhi Capitals carry genuine title ambitions into IPL 2026. The combination of Mitchell Starc and Kuldeep Yadav gives them a bowling attack capable of winning matches on its own. Axar Patel’s leadership has already shown maturity in international cricket, and that temperament should translate well to the pressures of a full IPL campaign. If KL Rahul can find his best form at the top of the order, and David Miller fires in the middle overs, the batting lineup has the firepower to post and chase any total.

The main challenge for Delhi will be consistency across the group stage. Squad depth beyond the first eleven will be tested over 14 matches, and how the management rotates its overseas slots could be decisive. With Hemang Badani at the helm, the approach is expected to be calculated rather than reactive. If things fall into place, Delhi Capitals have the tools to go deep into the playoff stage and mount a serious challenge for the title in IPL 2026.