Delhi Capitals enter IPL 2026 with a remaining purse of ₹ 21.80 crore, providing them with limited but clear room to strengthen their squad. Their decisions this year were focused more on stability than big changes. The franchise chose to retain KL Rahul despite strong interest from Kolkata Knight Riders, signalling that he remains central to their plans alongside captain Axar Patel. They added Nitish Rana through a trade with the Rajasthan Royals, while Donovan Ferreira moved the other way.
The team let go of two major overseas batters, Faf du Plessis and Jake Fraser-McGurk, with Fraser-McGurk’s release alone freeing up 9 crore. They also released Mohit Sharma after a poor season and moved on from several depth players. Delhi retained their strong core by keeping Tristan Stubbs, Kuldeep Yadav, Mitchell Starc, Mukesh Kumar, Dushmantha Chameera, and T. Natarajan, even though Natarajan played only one match last season, despite his high price. Young Indian talents such as Abishek Porel, Ashutosh Sharma, Sameer Rizvi, Vipraj Nigam, and Madhav Tiwari have also been kept after promising performances in 2025.
Du Plessis was signed in 2024 at a base price of 2 crore, but produced only 202 runs in nine matches in 2025, far below the impact he had during his strong season with RCB the year before. Mohit struggled as well, taking only two wickets in eight games while conceding over ten runs an over.
Fraser-McGurk became the most notable exit. Delhi once viewed him as a long-term player, especially after his explosive 222 runs off 81 balls at the end of the 2024 season. They even brought him back with the right-to-match card for 2025. His second season, however, never settled. He had five single-digit scores in six matches and finished with only 55 runs.
Delhi Capitals enter the IPL 2026 auction with a clear idea of what they need and a remaining purse of 21.80 crore. The biggest release is Faf du Plessis, along with five other players, which opens space for new overseas batting options.
The management believes the team’s fifth-place finish in IPL 2025 gave them clarity about what needs improvement. Kiran Kumar Grandhi said the side played with a strong spirit, and the auction will help fix weak areas. Parth Jindal noted that the retained players performed well together in the first half of last season and the support staff have been working to identify additions who fit the group.
Mark Chapman is a good fit for the Delhi Capitals, who are searching for ways to strengthen their roster before the IPL 2026 auction. With a strike rate above 130 and over 3800 runs in T20 cricket, he has been a reliable middle-order player for New Zealand.
Another potential choice for Delhi is Prithvi Shaw. He played for the franchise from 2018 to 2024. He had his best season in 2021 when he made 479 runs at a strike rate of 159.
FAQs
Q. Is KL Rahul retained by Delhi Capitals for IPL 2026?
A. Yes. The Delhi Capitals have signed KL Rahul for the 2026 campaign.
Q. Which players were announced by DC for the 2026 Indian Premier League?
A. Faf du Plessis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Sediqullah Atal, Manvanth Kumar, Mohit Sharma, and Darshan Nalkande were all released by DC.
Q. Which players did DC bring in before the 2026 auction?
A. Axar Patel, Tristan Stubbs, Mitchell Starc, KL Rahul, and Kuldeep Yadav were all kept by DC. Through a trade, the team also acquired Nitish Rana.
Q. What is the Delhi Capitals’ 2026 IPL purse?
A. DC will enter the IPL 2026 auction with a purse of ₹21.8 crore.
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