IPL 2025: DC captain Axar Patel joins team camp
What's the story
Delhi Capitals (DC) skipper Axar Patel has joined their camp ahead of the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) season. The star all-rounder, who has been making waves with both bat and ball, was retained by the franchise ahead of the IPL mega auction. After a successful run in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, where he picked up five wickets, Patel is set to take the leadership role.
Arrival
Patel's return to DC training camp
Patel was given a grand welcome at the DC camp, with the franchise sharing a video of the same on their Instagram handle. The new captain expressed his ambitions for the upcoming season. This is Patel's first season as captain after serving as vice-captain last year and stepping in for Rishabh Pant in one game against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).
Past performance
Patel's previous captaincy experience with Delhi Capitals
In his last stint as vice-captain, Patel had led the team once when Pant was suspended. Although the team lost to RCB by 47 runs in that match, Patel had made a huge contribution by scoring a 39-ball 57. He also bowled a successful spell. Under Patel, the Capitals will eye their maiden title in the cash-rich league.
Retention
Patel was DC's top retention
It must be noted that Patel was DC's top retention for ₹16.50 crore ahead of the mega auction last November. This highlights his importance in the franchise. While his captaincy experience isn't massive, he was named India's T20I vice-captain for the series against England in January this year. The 31-year-old has led his state team Gujarat in 23 matches across formats.
Record
His impressive IPL record
Patel joined DC ahead of the 2019 IPL season and has been an integral part of the franchise ever since. He has scored 1,653 runs at a strike rate of 130.88 in 150 matches. The all-rounder has also picked up 123 wickets with his left-arm spin bowling, with an economy rate of 7.28. For DC, he has clocked 967 runs at 23.58 and 62 scalps.