KL Rahul: IPL 2025 will start on March 22 with a contest between defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Rajat Patidar’s Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). It will mark the beginning of a new era in both KKR and RCB’s IPL history as both franchises have appointed new skippers for IPL 2025. Patidar will captain RCB, while Ajinkya Rahane will captain KKR.
Another IPL franchise to have opted for a new skipper in IPL this year are the Delhi Capitals. They have assigned the team’s reins to Axar Patel, who was the vice-captain of the team in IPL 2024. The departure of Rishabh Pant prompted DC to promote Patel to the captain’s position.
DC will start their season on March 24 with a match against the Rishabh Pant-led Lucknow Super Giants. All eyes will be on the following three in-form players when DC play their first game of IPL 2025.
#1 KL Rahul has regained his form ahead of IPL 2025
KL Rahul had a forgettable 2024 as he failed to lead the Lucknow Super Giants to the IPL playoffs and did not get a place in India’s squad for the 2024 T20 World Cup. The wicketkeeper-batter even struggled a bit in ODIs last year, which is why there was a question mark over his place in the 2025 Champions Trophy squad.
However, coach Gautam Gambhir backed Rahul, and the wicketkeeper stepped up and delivered the goods when it mattered the most. Rahul played crucial knocks of 42* and 34* under enormous pressure in the semifinal against Australia and final against New Zealand, respectively.
KL Rahul holds the record for the highest batting average in IPL history, with an average of 45.46 and 4,683 runs 🇮🇳🏆#KLRahul #DavidWarner #IPL #Sportskeeda pic.twitter.com/ZvrHG7iOot
— Sportskeeda (@Sportskeeda) March 14, 2025
While Rahul played as a finisher for India, he is likely to open the batting for DC in IPL 2025. All eyes will be on the confident KL Rahul when he dons the Delhi jersey for the first time in his career.
#2 Axar Patel
Delhi Capitals captain Axar Patel also starred in India’s 2025 Champions Trophy triumph with his all-round brilliance. He chipped in with crucial runs and bowled economical overs for the team. Plus, his fielding skills also made a huge difference.
Before the 2025 Champions Trophy, Patel scored a match-winning half-century in the ODI series against England. The southpaw hit a half-century in the 2024 T20 World Cup final against South Africa as well.
#3 Kuldeep Yadav
Delhi Capitals have played a massive role in reviving Kuldeep Yadav’s career. The switch from the Kolkata Knight Riders to DC in 2022 worked wonders for Yadav. His performances have been fantastic, which is why DC retained him ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction.
250 international wickets in just 138 matches for Kuldeep Yadav ✨#KuldeepYadav #India #Cricket #CWC23 #Sportskeeda pic.twitter.com/6rQTPtmIFN
— Sportskeeda (@Sportskeeda) November 5, 2023
KL Rahul: Yadav did a great job for India in the 2025 Champions Trophy. The left-arm wrist-spinner bagged a match-winning three-wicket haul against Pakistan, followed by two important wickets in the final against New Zealand, which turned the game in India’s favor. Expect Yadav to play the lead role in the bowling unit for DC this season.