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

Delhi Capitals enter IPL 2026 with renewed intent and a squad that blends international class with domestic firepower. Under the captaincy of Axar Patel, the side looks tactically sound — a genuine match-winner with bat, ball, and in the field. Head coach Hemang Badani brings fresh energy to the dugout, and the combination promises a disciplined, structured approach across all three phases of the game.

The squad assembled for this season is one of the most balanced Delhi have fielded in recent memory. The batting lineup runs deep, featuring KL Rahul behind the stumps, the attacking presence of David Miller, and the experience of Karun Nair and Nitish Rana in the middle order. The bowling attack, anchored by Mitchell Starc and Kuldeep Yadav, offers both pace and guile. A healthy seam and spin combination gives Delhi the tools to perform on any surface.

For the full IPL 2026 schedule men, Delhi Capitals fans will want to keep a close eye on every fixture as the team pushes for a playoff berth and, ultimately, a maiden IPL title.

Delhi Capitals 2026 Upcoming Matches

Delhi Capitals have a challenging start to their IPL 2026 campaign, opening on the road before returning to their Arun Jaitley Stadium fortress. Below are the first confirmed fixtures featuring the Delhi Capitals. For the complete IPL schedule 2026, visit the homepage.

Quick Facts: Delhi Capitals in IPL 2026

For the complete roster, visit Delhi Capitals Players.

Squad Breakdown

Delhi Capitals have put together a 25-man squad that covers every base. The batting unit carries depth and versatility, the wicket-keeping options are premium, the all-rounders are match-defining contributors, and the pace attack is genuinely world-class. This is a squad built to compete across all conditions and formats of T20 cricket.

Batters

• Karun Nair — An experienced top-order batter who brings composure and the ability to anchor an innings.
• Nitish Rana — A powerful left-hander capable of taking the attack to any bowling lineup from the word go.
• Sameer Rizvi — A young, attacking talent who has shown the ability to play high-risk, high-reward strokes.
• Prithvi Shaw — An explosive opener whose aggressive intent at the top can set the tone for the entire innings.
• David Miller — A seasoned finisher of the highest international pedigree, devastating in the death overs.
• Ben Duckett — A dynamic England batter comfortable at any position in the order, strong through the off side.
• Pathum Nissanka — A technically sound Sri Lankan international who adds solidity and versatility to the middle order.
• Ashutosh Sharma — A promising domestic batter with a temperament suited to T20 pressure situations.
• Tripurana Vijay — A domestic circuit product who offers reliability and an ability to read match situations.

Wicket-Keepers (WK-Batter)

• KL Rahul — One of India’s finest wicket-keeper batters, capable of anchoring or accelerating depending on match demands.
• Tristan Stubbs — A hard-hitting South African who combines athletic glovework with explosive lower-order batting.
• Abishek Porel — A young Bengal wicket-keeper making his mark as a mature, technically correct batsman at the domestic level.

All-Rounders

• Axar Patel — Delhi’s captain is a left-arm spinner and hard-hitting middle-order batter who controls the game in multiple departments.
• Ajay Jadav Mandal — An emerging all-round talent from domestic cricket with off-spin and lower-order batting ability.
• Madhav Tiwari — A young domestic all-rounder developing his credentials as both a contributor with bat and ball.
• Auqib Nabi Dar — A Kashmiri all-rounder who has impressed with his ability to contribute in multiple facets of the game.

Bowlers

• Kuldeep Yadav — One of the most dangerous wrist-spinners in world T20 cricket, capable of running through any batting lineup.
• Mukesh Kumar — A reliable right-arm seamer with a skill for hitting the pitch hard and extracting movement.
• T Natarajan — A left-arm yorker specialist, lethal in the powerplay and death overs.
• Vipraj Nigam — A young spin-bowling option who has earned his place through strong domestic performances.
• Mitchell Starc — A world-class Australian left-arm pacer renowned for his yorkers and ability to swing the new ball.
• Lungi Ngidi — A South African pace bowler who brings raw pace and the ability to generate sharp bounce.
• Kyle Jamieson — A tall New Zealand seamer who uses his height to extract uncomfortable bounce from hard lengths.
• Dushmantha Chameera — A Sri Lankan express-pace bowler who can trouble batters with sheer speed and short-pitched deliveries.
• Sahil Parakh — A domestic pace bowling prospect adding cover and depth to an already potent attack.

Home Stadium: The Fortress

The Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi is one of the iconic venues in Indian cricket. Situated in the heart of the capital, the ground has a playing surface that typically rewards batters early in the season, offering true pace and carry that suits power hitters. As conditions evolve during the IPL window, the pitch can start to assist spin, which makes Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav particularly valuable assets in home matches.

The atmosphere at Arun Jaitley Stadium is electric when Delhi are playing, with a passionate fanbase that creates an intimidating environment for visiting teams. The compact stands ensure crowd noise is amplified throughout the game. For Delhi Capitals, home advantage at this venue is a genuine tactical benefit, and their squad has been assembled with the specific conditions here firmly in mind.

Season Outlook

Delhi Capitals head into IPL 2026 as credible contenders for a top-four finish. The appointment of Axar Patel as captain adds on-field authority to the side, and the squad depth across all departments means Delhi can cope with injuries or unavailability better than in previous seasons. With Mitchell Starc and Kuldeep Yadav leading the attack, opposing batters will never feel comfortable, while KL Rahul and David Miller ensure the batting unit can post or chase any target.

The key challenge for Delhi will be consistency — translating individual brilliance into collective team performance across a 14-match league stage. If the batting order fires in the powerplay and Axar Patel manages his bowling resources wisely, Delhi Capitals have the firepower to go deep into the tournament. This could well be the year the capital finally lifts the IPL trophy.