Axar Patel reluctant to captain Delhi Capitals, KL Rahul emerges as option, says Aakash Chopra
Aakash Chopra said on JioStar's Game Plan on November 12, 2026 that Axar Patel does not want to captain Delhi Capitals ahead of IPL 2027 and that KL Rahul could be an alternative option; Chopra added the franchise now faces multiple leadership questions after Rishabh Pant was traded back to Delhi. Pant’s return came via a deal that sent wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav to Lucknow Super Giants.
Axar Patel has been Delhi’s captain for the past two IPL seasons after taking over when Pant moved to Lucknow ahead of the 2025 edition. Under Axar, Delhi began 2025 strongly—winning five of their first six matches—but the team faded to finish fifth and missed the playoffs; their 2026 campaign ended with a sixth-place finish, also outside the postseason.
Speaking about the captaincy situation, Chopra said: "There are multiple questions, actually. It's an MCQ because who will be the captain? Rishabh Pant has been a captaincy candidate, KL Rahul is an option, and I'm hearing that Axar doesn't want to be the captain. So, with everything going on, you don't even know who will captain the side. It could well be KL Rahul at this stage."
KL Rahul has prior IPL leadership experience, having captained Lucknow Super Giants for three seasons between 2022 and 2024 and taking them to the playoffs in his first two campaigns; since joining Delhi ahead of IPL 2025 he has played under Axar’s leadership and has not been appointed captain. Pant’s return adds another candidate for the role, complicating Delhi’s decision-making.
Pant had led Delhi between 2021 and 2024 before moving to Lucknow, where he captained LSG in 2025 and 2026; he stepped down as Lucknow captain after the 2026 season prior to being traded back to Delhi. On Pant’s batting role after the transfer, Chopra said: "And Rishabh Pant, now that you have traded him, must bat in the top four. If you are going to bat him lower than that, then you will not utilise him to his fullest potential. I felt that in that trade, LSG was better off because you couldn't have asked for more than a bowler of Kuldeep's calibre for that pitch."
Chopra also highlighted the selection and management challenges facing head coach Sourav Ganguly and the new-look coaching staff that includes Yuvraj Singh, saying it will be a "big call" for them. He flagged Delhi’s bowling as a particular concern, adding: "Ashutosh, Sameer Rizvi, Tristan Stubbs, plus Axar Patel, and then you've got Miller. So, it's a very decent setup. The problem area for them will be their bowling department. Because Mitchell Starc, will he play? It will be a conversation as to whether he will be available to play or not. They will face an issue with their fast bowling this season and how they plan to address it, I've got no idea."
Chopra pointed to financial and availability risks in Delhi’s pace resources, listing prices and past availability issues: "Mukesh is at eight crore, Auqib Nabi at Rs 8.4 crore, and then you have Mitchell Starc at nearly 12, so that's a lot of money. Lungi Ngidi was cheap, picked up for Rs 2 crore. He turned out to be a fantastic bargain. Dushmantha Chameera and Kyle Jamieson weren't as expensive either. But the more expensive players might not be available. Their pedigree and current form are still uncertain, and Mukesh Kumar's T20 numbers have actually plummeted a little." He also noted Starc's history of prioritising international commitments and the packed international schedule facing the 36-year-old next year, including a five-Test series in India, an Ashes tour to England and the ODI World Cup in South Africa.
Clarity on Mitchell Starc's availability is expected by November 17, the IPL retention deadline, when Delhi Capitals must decide whether to retain the Australian fast bowler ahead of the 2027 season; that decision will inform the franchise's plans for its fast-bowling resources and their options for the coming campaign.