Delhi Capitals — Back Your Team in IPL 2026

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

Delhi Capitals enter IPL 2026 with renewed ambition and a squad built for consistency across all three departments. Under the captaincy of Axar Patel, the team carries a balanced mix of international firepower and domestic grit. With Hemang Badani guiding the side as head coach, Delhi Capitals aim to translate raw talent into tournament-winning performances this season.

The squad features experienced campaigners like KL Rahul and David Miller alongside emerging names such as Abishek Porel and Sameer Rizvi. The bowling attack reads like a genuine threat on any surface, with Mitchell Starc and Kuldeep Yadav forming a formidable new-ball and spin combination. Depth in the middle order and versatile all-round options make this group one of the more complete sides in the competition.

For the latest updates on every Delhi Capitals game this season, follow our IPL today match coverage throughout the tournament.

Delhi Capitals 2026 Upcoming Matches

Delhi Capitals have a demanding schedule in IPL 2026, beginning with an away encounter at Lucknow before returning to their home fortress for back-to-back fixtures. Follow every contest with our 2026 todays IPL match updates.

Quick Facts: Delhi Capitals in IPL 2026

For the complete list of players representing the side this season, visit Delhi Capitals Players.

Squad Breakdown

Delhi Capitals have assembled a 25-player squad that addresses most of the gaps from previous campaigns. The batting lineup has genuine depth from the top through to number seven, the wicket-keeping department offers multiple quality options, and the pace bowling unit is among the most dangerous in the entire league. Here is how the squad breaks down by role.

Batters

• Karun Nair – A technically sound right-handed batter capable of anchoring the innings or accelerating when needed.
• Nitish Rana – An aggressive left-hander with a natural instinct for big shots, particularly effective in the powerplay.
• Sameer Rizvi – A young and exciting top-order talent who strikes the ball cleanly and rotates strike well.
• Prithvi Shaw – A fearless opener whose attacking instincts at the top of the order can set the tone early.
• David Miller – A world-class finisher with the ability to change a game in a handful of deliveries under pressure.
• Ben Duckett – An adaptable left-handed batter comfortable at any position in the top four.
• Pathum Nissanka – A composed and consistent Sri Lankan opener who builds innings with patience and precision.
• Ashutosh Sharma – A promising domestic batter known for his clean ball-striking in the middle order.
• Tripurana Vijay – A domestic performer who provides solidity in the lower middle order.

Wicket-Keepers (WK-Batter)

• KL Rahul – One of the finest wicket-keeper batters in world cricket, capable of anchoring or opening depending on team needs.
• Tristan Stubbs – A powerful South African batter-keeper who can accelerate the innings in the back end.
• Abishek Porel – A talented young gloveman from Bengal with crisp strokeplay and sharp reflexes behind the stumps.

All-Rounders

• Axar Patel – The captain brings left-arm spin and a reliable lower-order bat that has won Delhi many close games.
• Ajay Jadav Mandal – A domestic all-rounder with consistent off-spin and the ability to contribute runs lower down.
• Madhav Tiwari – A young all-round option with promising capabilities with both bat and ball.
• Auqib Nabi Dar – A Kashmiri all-rounder who brings variety in the bowling and handy contributions with the bat.

Bowlers

• Kuldeep Yadav – One of the best left-arm wrist spinners in T20 cricket globally, a genuine wicket-taking threat in every spell.
• Mukesh Kumar – A right-arm seamer with excellent control and the ability to move the ball both ways.
• T Natarajan – Known for his precise yorkers at the death, one of the most effective left-arm pacers in the format.
• Vipraj Nigam – An emerging leg-spinner with a sharp googly and the temperament to bowl in pressure situations.
• Mitchell Starc – A premium international left-arm quick whose new-ball threat and death-over accuracy are world class.
• Lungi Ngidi – A high-quality South African fast bowler who generates consistent pace and troublesome bounce.
• Kyle Jamieson – A tall New Zealand seamer who extracts awkward bounce and contributes at the lower order.
• Dushmantha Chameera – A fiery Sri Lankan quick with the pace to unsettle any top-order batter early in the innings.
• Sahil Parakh – A domestic medium-pacer offering reliable support in the bowling unit.

Home Stadium – The Fortress

Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi is one of the oldest and most storied cricket grounds in India. The pitch traditionally offers good carry for fast bowlers in the early overs and a hard, true surface that batters enjoy once they settle in. Spinners tend to find grip and turn as the match progresses, which makes Delhi Capitals a particularly dangerous home side given their combination of Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel.

The atmosphere inside Arun Jaitley Stadium on a matchday is electric. Delhi’s cricket fans are passionate and vocal, creating a hostile environment for visiting sides. The enclosed stands amplify crowd noise and the proximity to the field gives players a genuine home advantage. For visiting teams chasing under lights, the evening dew factor can make bowling difficult, which works firmly in favour of a Delhi Capitals side that bats deep and finishes hard.

Season Outlook

Delhi Capitals enter IPL 2026 as a genuine contender, not merely a hopeful participant. The combination of Axar Patel’s calm leadership, KL Rahul’s batting intelligence, and Mitchell Starc’s new-ball threat gives the side a genuine match-winner in every phase of the game. If Prithvi Shaw fires at the top and David Miller delivers in the finishing slots, Delhi have the potential to post and defend imposing totals consistently throughout the group stage.

The main question surrounding this team is whether their depth in the middle order can hold up against high-calibre opposition when key batters fall cheaply. The pace-heavy bowling attack also looks slightly light on spin variety beyond Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel, which could be an area opposing teams seek to exploit on turning surfaces away from Delhi. Overall, however, this is a squad with the quality and balance to reach the knockout stage and, on their best days, to lift the IPL 2026 trophy.