Delhi Capitals had a strong start to their 2025 campaign, winning five of their first seven matches, but they could secure only two wins in their final seven games, eventually finishing fifth and missing the playoffs. With IPL 2026 approaching, the franchise needed to reset and rethink its approach.
Now, with the IPL 2026 retentions officially announced, DC have confirmed 17 players, including 3 overseas, spending ₹103.20 crore and entering the auction with ₹21.80 crore remaining. The management has backed a deeper and more balanced core this time, retaining players who can contribute immediately as well as those who can grow with the team.
DC Retained Players for IPL 2026
These players are retained in the DC squad for IPL 2026.
| Player Name | Role |
|---|---|
| Axar Patel (C) | All-Rounder |
| KL Rahul | WK–Batter |
| Abhishek Porel | WK–Batter |
| Kuldeep Yadav | Bowler (Spinner) |
| Mitchell Starc | Bowler (Pacer) |
| Sameer Rizvi | Batter |
| Ashutosh Sharma | Batter |
| Vipraj Nigam | All-Rounder |
| Ajay Mandal | All-Rounder |
| Ashutosh Sharma | Batter |
| Dushmantha Chameera | Bowler (Pacer) |
| Karun Nair | Batter |
| Madhav Tiwari | Batter |
| Mukesh Kumar | Bowler (Pacer) |
| Nitish Rana | Batter |
| T. Natarajan | Bowler (Pacer) |
| Tripurana Vijay | Bowler |
| Tristan Stubbs | WK–Batter |
DC Released Players: Donovan Ferreira (SA – trade to RR), Faf du Plessis (SA), Jake Fraser-McGurk (AUS), Sediqullah Atal (AFG), Manvanth Kumar, Mohit Sharma, Darshan Nalkande.
Below is a quick breakdown of what each retained player brings to the table.
1. Axar Patel (Captain & All-Rounder)
Axar Patel is the captain of the Delhi Capitals. He is a very good all-rounder who can bat and bowl spin. Axar is the backbone of the DC team and does many important jobs.
Axar bowls left-arm spin and is very hard to hit. He controls the middle overs and doesn’t give away many runs. With the bat, he can hit big shots when needed. As captain, he makes smart decisions on the field.
Why keep him? Best all-rounder in the team. A great captain who leads from the front.
2. KL Rahul (Wicket-Keeper Batter)
KL Rahul is one of the most experienced batters in IPL. He can open the batting or bat in the middle order. Rahul is also a wicketkeeper, which makes him very valuable.
Rahul has played for Team India many times. He knows how to build an innings and score big runs. His experience helps young players learn. DC needs his stability at the top of the order.
Why keep him? Experienced top-order batter and wicketkeeper. Very reliable player.
3. Tristan Stubbs (Batter)
Tristan Stubbs is a powerful batter from South Africa. He bats in the middle order and can hit huge sixes. Stubbs is very good at finishing matches when the team needs quick runs.
Stubbs is young but has shown great talent. He can play fast bowling and spin bowling equally well. DC believes he will become one of the best middle-order batters in the IPL.
Why keep him? Strong middle-order batter. Excellent finisher who wins tight matches.
4. Abishek Porel (Wicketkeeper-Batter)
Abishek Porel is a young Indian wicket-keeper batter. He plays with lots of energy and can hit the ball hard. Porel is very quick behind the stumps and rarely drops catches.
Young wicketkeepers like Porel are very important for the future. He can open the batting or bat lower down. DC is giving him chances to grow and become a star player.
Why keep him? Young wicketkeeper with great potential. Aggressive batter who scores fast.
5. Kuldeep Yadav (Bowler)
Kuldeep Yadav is one of the best spin bowlers in India. He bowls left-arm wrist spin, which is very rare and difficult to play. Kuldeep takes wickets in the middle overs when batters try to attack.
Kuldeep has played many matches for Team India. He knows all the tricks to fool batters. His wicket-taking ability is priceless for DC. Good spinners are hard to find.
Why keep him? World-class spinner who takes important wickets. Very experienced bowler.
6. Mitchell Starc (Bowler)
Mitchell Starc is a superstar fast bowler from Australia. He can bowl very fast and swing the new ball. Starc is one of the most feared bowlers in world cricket.
Starc takes wickets with the new ball in the powerplay. He can also bowl yorkers in the death overs. Having Starc in the team makes DC’s bowling very strong. He is expensive but worth every penny.
Why keep him? World-class fast bowler. Takes wickets and bowls at high speed.
7. Sameer Rizvi (Batter)
Sameer Rizvi is a young Indian batter with big talent. He can hit powerful shots and plays with confidence. Rizvi has shown good skills in domestic cricket and got his IPL chance.
Young Indian batters are the future of any team. Rizvi doesn’t take a foreign player spot and costs less money. DC wants to develop him into a match-winner.
Why keep him? Talented young Indian batter. Has big-hitting ability and confidence.
8. Ashutosh Sharma (Batter)
Ashutosh Sharma is another promising young Indian batter. He plays aggressively and can score runs quickly. Sharma has impressed everyone with his fearless batting style.
DC is building a team for the future. Sharma is part of that plan. He can bat anywhere in the order and is learning from experienced players.
Why keep him? Young aggressive batter. Fearless player who can change the game.
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Conclusion: DC Is Ready To Challenge for IPL 2026
With 17 players retained for IPL 2026, Delhi Capitals have shown clear intent to build a strong, stable squad. Axar Patel continues to lead with his all-round ability, while KL Rahul adds top-order consistency and experience. Mitchell Starc and Kuldeep Yadav strengthen the bowling, and Tristan Stubbs provides the middle-order firepower DC lacked in crunch moments.
Promising youngsters like Abhishek Porel, Sameer Rizvi, Ashutosh Sharma, and Vipraj Nigam ensure depth and long-term stability. With ₹21.80 crore still available for the December auction, DC can now focus on adding fast bowlers, all-rounders, and finishing options.
If they make the right choices, Delhi Capitals have the squad strength and balance to be genuine title contenders in IPL 2026.
FAQs
DC wants to keep only their best and most reliable players. These 11 players either performed well in 2025 or have huge potential for the future. By keeping fewer players, DC will have more money at the auction. They can buy star players to fill the gaps and build a complete winning team.
Axar Patel is a good captain and excellent all-rounder. Even though DC finished mid-table in 2025, the management trusts him. Axar is still learning as a captain. With better players around him and more experience, he can lead DC to success in 2026.
Mitchell Starc is one of the best fast bowlers in the world. He takes wickets with the new ball and can bowl yorkers in death overs. World-class bowlers like Starc are very rare. His impact on the team is bigger than his salary. DC cannot afford to lose him.
Young Indian players are the backbone of successful IPL teams. They don’t take foreign player spots, so DC can play more overseas stars. They cost less money than experienced players. Most importantly, youngsters like Rizvi and Sharma have hunger and energy. They can play for DC for 10-15 years and become future superstars.
DC has a decent balance but not perfect. They have good bowlers like Starc, Kuldeep, and Mustafizur. They have quality batters like KL Rahul and Tristan Stubbs. Axar Patel gives all-round strength. But DC needs more middle-order batters and one more quality spinner. They must buy smartly at the auction to complete the team and challenge for the trophy.
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