Fri Nov 21 03:40:00 UTC 2025: Summary:

The Delhi Capitals have announced their retained and released players ahead of the IPL 2026 auction. Key retentions include Axar Patel, KL Rahul, Tristan Stubbs, and Kuldeep Yadav, with Mitchell Starc also retained. Nitish Rana was traded in for Donovan Ferreira. Released players include Mohit Sharma, Faf du Plessis, and Jake Fraser-McGurk. Team owners and the head coach express optimism about strengthening the squad and building a consistent performance for the upcoming season.

News Article:

Delhi Capitals Bank on Patel, Rahul, and Stubbs for IPL 2026, New Faces to Join Through Auction

New Delhi, November 15, 2025 – The Delhi Capitals have finalized their roster moves ahead of the highly anticipated IPL 2026 auction, announcing a core of retained players spearheaded by all-rounder Axar Patel, wicket-keeper batsman KL Rahul, and South African power-hitter Tristan Stubbs. The announcement comes following a season that saw the Capitals finish fifth, narrowly missing out on a playoff berth.

Along with the aforementioned stars, the franchise is holding onto spinner Kuldeep Yadav and veteran pacer Mitchell Starc, signaling their intent to build around a balanced squad. A notable trade sees Nitish Rana joining the Capitals, with Donovan Ferreira heading to the Rajasthan Royals.

“We had a promising campaign last season, the team showed great quality and spirit,” said Mr. Kiran Kumar Grandhi, Chairman and Co-Owner of Delhi Capitals. “The auction gives us an opportunity to strengthen the areas where we fell short and build a more balanced squad.”

The team has released several players, including Mohit Sharma, Faf du Plessis, and Jake Fraser-McGurk, making room for new additions through the auction.

“We are pleased with the players we’ve retained – we saw how well they performed together,” added Mr. Parth Jindal, Co-owner, Delhi Capitals and Founder, JSW Sports. “Our coaches and scouts have been working tirelessly to identify those players who can complement our core group.”

Head Coach Hemang Badani acknowledged areas for improvement. “Last season had its highs and lows…The goal is to build consistency and ensure we’re competing at our best throughout the season.”

The full list of retained players includes: Axar Patel, KL Rahul, Karun Nair, Abishek Porel, Tristan Stubbs, Sameer Rizvi, Ashutosh Sharma, Vipraj Nigam, Ajay Mandal, Tripurana Vijay, Madhav Tiwari, Mitchell Starc, T Natarajan, Mukesh Kumar, Dushmantha Chameera, Kuldeep Yadav, and Nitish Rana.

The Delhi Capitals will be looking to strategically utilize the upcoming auction to bolster their squad and mount a serious challenge for the IPL 2026 title.

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