Delhi Capitals come into IPL 2026 with a much-changed squad, new leadership plans and aspirations of breaking their title duck. While the franchise held on to some of its key players, it also welcomed a few finger-licking signings in the IPL 2026 auction. DC have a well-rounded squad this season, under the captaincy of Axar Patel, with some explosive batters in their ranks alongside the spinners and experienced pace bowlers.
Delhi Capitals Squad for IPL 2026
| Player Name | Role | Price |
| Axar Patel | All-Rounder (Captain) | ₹16.50 Crore |
| KL Rahul | Wicketkeeper-Batter | ₹14 Crore |
| Kuldeep Yadav | Spinner | ₹13.25 Crore |
| Mitchell Starc | Fast Bowler | ₹11.75 Crore |
| T Natarajan | Fast Bowler | ₹10.75 Crore |
| Tristan Stubbs | Wicketkeeper-Batter | ₹10 Crore |
| Auqib Nabi Dar | All-Rounder | ₹8.40 Crore |
| Pathum Nissanka | Batter | ₹4 Crore |
| Nitish Rana | Batter | ₹4.20 Crore |
| David Miller | Batter | ₹2 Crore |
| Ben Duckett | Batter | ₹2 Crore |
| Lungi Ngidi | Fast Bowler | ₹2 Crore |
| Dushmantha Chameera | Fast Bowler | ₹1.50 Crore |
| Mukesh Kumar | Fast Bowler | ₹1 Crore |
| Abishek Porel | Wicketkeeper-Batter | ₹75 Lakh |
| Ashutosh Sharma | All-Rounder | ₹75 Lakh |
| Vipraj Nigam | All-Rounder | ₹50 Lakh |
| Sameer Rizvi | Batter | ₹40 Lakh |
| Prithvi Shaw | Batter | ₹75 Lakh |
| Karun Nair | Batter | ₹50 Lakh |
| Sahil Parakh | Batter | ₹30 Lakh |
| Ajay Mandal | All-Rounder | ₹30 Lakh |
| Kyle Jamieson | Fast Bowler | ₹1 Crore |
| Madhav Tiwari | Bowling All-Rounder | ₹30 Lakh |
| Tripurana Vijay | All-Rounder | ₹30 Lakh |
Delhi Capitals splurged on a robust Indian core while roping in the experienced overseas stars Mitchell Starc, David Miller, and Pathum Nissanka. Auction price: ₹8.40 crore, Franchise spend: ₹2 crore (Franchise Managed). Auqib Nabi Dar was one of the top buys in the auction by any franchise
DC Captain for IPL 2026
Delhi Capitals are captained by Axar Patel in IPL 2026. After bidding ₹16.50 crore to retain him, the franchise entrusted him with captaincy duties, looking to establish a strong nucleus around seasoned Indian stars. Next to Axar, KL is likely to play a big role in the dressing room.
More recently, there were reports in IPL 2026 that suggested that DC captain Axar Patel had taken an aggressive stance following the team’s record chase against Punjab Kings.
Top Players of IPL 2026
KL Rahul
KL Rahul continues to be one of the most reliable batters for DC. His capacity to anchor innings whilst upping the scoring within the dying overs is an essential cog of their batting unit.
Tristan Stubbs
DC’s most lethal finisher remains South African superstar Tristan Stubbs. The Delhi middle order looks stronger as his power-hitting ability gives extra firepower.
Mitchell Starc
Mitchell Starc leads the pace attack of DC and has been a match-winner with taking wickets upfront in powerplay overs.
Kuldeep Yadav
Kuldeep Yadav will still be the chief spin weapon for the team. His variants and control make a huge threat in the middle overs.
Auqib Nabi Dar
The young all-rounder was the surprise high-value acquisition by DC at the auction. He is projected to be one of the 2026 IPL’s breakout players by fans and analysts alike.
Strongest Playing XI of Delhi Capitals
| Position | Player |
| Opener | KL Rahul |
| Opener | Ben Duckett |
| No. 3 | Nitish Rana |
| No. 4 | Tristan Stubbs |
| No. 5 | David Miller |
| No. 6 | Axar Patel |
| No. 7 | Ashutosh Sharma |
| No. 8 | Auqib Nabi Dar |
| No. 9 | Mitchell Starc |
| No. 10 | Kuldeep Yadav |
| No. 11 | T Natarajan |
That, then, is the batting-explosive playing XI that gives DC both a boatload of explosive depth and a balanced bowling complement boasting quality pace as well as spin options.
Delhi Capitals IPL 2026 Win?
Delhi Capitals look to be a far more settled and balanced squad than in seasons gone by. The team has a strong batting order (which had just won the ODI World Cup), effective and deft bowlers, and many all-rounders who can make quick alterations to the result of games. Yet consistency is still an issue for a large number of followers. The discussions revolving around DC’s campaign and the supporters still cause for concern about their leadership, even though they have a formidable squad on paper, and it is reflected in their middle-order inconsistencies.
As far as KL Rahul, Axar Patel & Mitchell Starc play consistently right through the tournament, Delhi Capitals might finally have their first IPL trophy coming home.