Delhi Capitals enter the 2026 Indian Premier League season with a stronger, more balanced squad. The team has never won the IPL title, but this year, they look well-prepared to compete for it.
Axar Patel will lead the team, while the batting lineup includes players like Ben Duckett, KL Rahul, and David Miller. The bowling attack is also strong with Mitchell Starc, Kuldeep Yadav, and T. Natarajan.
Here is the complete squad of the DC for the IPL 2026:
Axar Patel (c), KL Rahul, Abishek Porel, Ben Duckett, Tristan Stubbs, Karun Nair, Sameer Rizvi, Ashutosh Sharma, Vipraj Nigam, Madhav Tiwari, Kuldeep Yadav, Nitish Rana, Auqib Nabi Dar, Pathum Nissanka, Tripurana Vijay, Ajay Mandal, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Sahil Parakh, Prithvi Shaw, T. Natarajan, Kyle Jamieson, Dushmantha Chameera, Mitchell Starc, Mukesh Kumar,
Now that the 25-player squad is confirmed, let’s see which players are likely to be in DC’s playing XI for the upcoming matches.
DC Predicted Playing 11 For IPL 2026
| Player Name | Player Role |
|---|---|
| Abhishek Porel (wk) | Wicketkeeper-Batter |
| Ben Duckett | Batter |
| KL Rahul | Batter |
| Nitish Rana | Batter |
| Tristan Stubbs | Batter |
| Axar Patel (c) | Bowling All-Rounder |
| David Miller | Batter |
| Vipraj Nigam | Bowling All-Rounder |
| T. Natarajan | Fast Bowler |
| Mitchell Starc | Fast Bowler |
| Kuldeep Yadav | Spinner |
Impact Players: Auqib Nabi, Prithvi Shaw, or Ashutosh Sharma
DC Top Order: Porel, Duckett, Rana, and Rahul
Delhi Capitals’ top order that offers both explosive intent and high-class technique. Their opening duo, Abhishek Porel and Ben Duckett, can provide an explosive start while playing risk-free cricket.
Ben Duckett will make his much-anticipated IPL debut. The England left-hander has accumulated 5,397 runs across 216 T20 matches. DC secured him for the bargain price of ₹2 crore at the mini auction, quite possibly the smartest overseas buy of the entire IPL 2026 auction cycle.
At number 3, KL Rahul brings proven IPL experience and class, followed by Nitish Rana at number 4. Rahul has scored 5,222 runs in 145 IPL matches, averaging 46.21, including 5 centuries. He has crossed the 500-run mark in six different IPL seasons and holds the record for the joint-second fastest IPL fifty, reaching the milestone in just 14 balls. His IPL 2025 campaign was particularly outstanding, with 539 runs in 13 matches at an average of 53.90.
DC Middle Order: Axar, Stubbs, and Miller
If other teams can dismiss the top order, DC’s middle order has the firepower to reach any total. Axar Patel, the captain, has transformed himself into a complete all-rounder. In his 162-match IPL career, he has scored 1,916 runs and taken 128 wickets.
Tristan Stubbs, the young South African power-hitter, is the X-factor of this DC batting lineup. In the 2024 and 2025 editions, he has scored 678 runs at an average of 52 with the help of 37 sixes.
Then comes David Miller, one of the most feared finishers in world cricket. In 141 IPL matches, Miller has scored 3,077 runs at an average of 35.77. His finest IPL season came in 2022 with the Gujarat Titans, where he struck 481 runs at an average of 68.71, playing a pivotal role in their title-winning campaign. At 37, Miller remains one of the cleanest hitters of the cricket ball in the world.
Bowling Attack: Swing, Spin, and Yorkers
| Bowler | Type |
|---|---|
| Mitchell Starc | Left-Arm Fast |
| T. Natarajan | Left-Arm Fast-Medium |
| Kuldeep Yadav | Left-Arm Wrist Spin |
| Axar Patel | Left-Arm Spin |
| Vipraj Nigam | Right-Arm Spin |
Delhi Capitals’ bowling attack in IPL 2026 is one of the most complete and well-balanced, with three left-armers of distinct types who can take wickets at any stage of the match.
Mitchell Starc has 759 international wickets to his name and will lead the DC bowling attack. In 52 IPL matches, Starc has taken 65 wickets at an average of 23.12 with a best of 5/35.
T. Natarajan will partner with Starc to give DC a second left-arm seam option at the death, and a genuinely a bowler who can deliver 24 yorkers. IPL 2024 was his finest season, collecting 19 wickets and playing a crucial role in helping SRH reach the final. Across 63 IPL matches, Natarajan has taken 67 wickets with a best of 4/19.
In the spin department, Kuldeep Yadav will lead the spin attack. In 98 IPL matches, Kuldeep has taken 102 wickets at an average of 26.97, and his returns since joining DC in 2022 have been remarkable. He burst onto the DC scene by picking up 21 wickets in 14 matches in his debut season for the franchise in 2022. Apart from him, DC’s captain Axar Patel will also roll their wrist to dismiss their rival batters.
Vipraj Nigam adds a right-arm spin option, providing variety and balance to what is otherwise a left-arm-heavy bowling attack.
Impact Players
DC’s Impact Player options cover every possible match situation.
Prithvi Shaw, the swashbuckling Delhi-born opener, is the ultimate powerplay weapon. On his day, Shaw is capable of dismantling any bowling attack in the first six overs with a strike rate that few openers in world cricket can match. His inclusion as an impact player gives DC a ready-made option when they need to accelerate the run rate quickly.
Ashutosh Sharma, the hard-hitting all-rounder, provides middle-order depth and batting firepower as a designated finisher. His big-hitting ability in the death overs makes him an ideal impact substitution in matches where DC need late acceleration.
Auqib Nabi, the young Afghan off-spinner, is a genuine wicket-taking option and adds an entirely different spin dimension to DC’s bowling attack, giving captain Axar Patel excellent tactical flexibility in any conditions.
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Delhi Capitals Playing XI For IPL 2026 (Predicted Lineup)
Delhi Capitals look like the most complete side they have ever assembled in the IPL. Under the captaincy of Axar Patel, KL Rahul is at the top, David Miller and Tristan Stubbs’s finishing, and the quality of pace attack featuring Starc, Kuldeep, and Natarajan give this DC side everything they need to win their maiden IPL title. After years of near misses, the signs have never looked more promising that this could finally be Delhi’s year.
