“I Am Always With You…”: KL Rahul Reacts to Axar Patel Becoming Captain

Delhi Capitals Captain:

With IPL 2025 just around the corner, all teams have announced their captains. Delhi Capitals have entrusted the leadership to star all-rounder Axar Patel, despite having experienced players like Faf du Plessis and KL Rahul in the squad. In the previous season, Axar served as Delhi’s vice-captain and delivered impressive performances. Now, as he steps into the captaincy role, KL Rahul’s reaction has surfaced.

Taking to social media, KL Rahul wrote, “Best wishes, Bapu. Good luck for the journey ahead. I am always with you.” In IPL 2024, Rahul was part of the Lucknow Super Giants, but the franchise did not retain him. Following this, Delhi Capitals acquired him in the IPL 2025 mega auction.

Axar Patel Retained for Over ₹16 Crore

Axar Patel has been a key player for Delhi Capitals since 2019, consistently delivering outstanding performances. He excels in both lower-order batting and quality spin bowling. Due to his valuable contributions, Delhi retained him for ₹16.50 crore. While Axar has limited captaincy experience in the IPL, he has previously led Gujarat in domestic cricket.

150 Matches in IPL So Far

Expressing his thoughts on his new role, Axar Patel said, “Becoming the captain of Delhi is a huge honor for me. I have grown significantly as a cricketer, and I feel ready to lead the team.” So far, he has played 150 IPL matches, scoring 1,653 runs and taking 123 wickets.

Delhi Capitals Still in Pursuit of Their First IPL Title

Now, Axar Patel faces the challenge of guiding Delhi Capitals to their maiden IPL title. The franchise has never won the IPL trophy. Their closest attempt came in IPL 2020, when they reached the final, only to be defeated by Mumbai Indians.