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New Delhi, India, March 23: Delhi Capitals head coach Hemang Badani on Monday expressed strong confidence in Axar Patel as captain for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season, underlining the importance of continuity in leadership.
Speaking at a press conference, Badani said the decision to retain Axar as skipper was straightforward, given his long association with the franchise and deep understanding of the team environment. “We wanted someone who understands the players, the fans, the conditions, and the management. Axar was the obvious choice,” he said.
He further highlighted Axar’s strong connection with the team and the city, describing him as a long-standing member of the franchise. “No better person to lead the side than him,” Badani remarked, adding that the team is looking to build on the positives from the previous season.
Delhi Capitals, who are yet to secure their maiden IPL title, finished fifth in the last edition, narrowly missing out on a playoff berth.
As per the schedule announced by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Delhi Capitals will open their IPL 2026 campaign against Lucknow Super Giants on April 1. They will next face Mumbai Indians on April 4, followed by fixtures against Gujarat Titans on April 8 and Chennai Super Kings on April 11.
Responding to a query regarding the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) decision to conduct PSL 2026 without spectators due to the ongoing West Asia crisis, Badani said the situation is being closely monitored by the BCCI, though it has not directly impacted the franchise so far.
Delhi Capitals Squad for IPL 2026:
Nitish Rana, Abishek Porel, Ajay Mandal, Ashutosh Sharma, Axar Patel, Dushmantha Chameera, Karun Nair, KL Rahul, Kuldeep Yadav, Madhav Tiwari, Mitchell Starc, Sameer Rizvi, T Natarajan, Tripurana Vijay, Tristan Stubbs, Vipraj Nigam, David Miller, Ben Duckett, Auqib Nabi, Pathum Nissanka, Lungi Ngidi, Sahil Parakh, Prithvi Shaw, Kyle Jamieson.
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