KL Rahul Backed to Captain Delhi Capitals in IPL 2027

Aakash Chopra has backed KL Rahul as the leading candidate to captain Delhi Capitals in IPL 2027, saying he has heard that current skipper Axar Patel does not want to continue in the role. The former India opener said Delhi face multiple unanswered questions ahead of the season, with the captaincy decision at the centre of them.

Delhi have several players with leadership experience or potential options, including Rishabh Pant and Rahul, but Chopra believes Rahul is the most likely choice at this stage. Pant is back in the Delhi squad after an unsuccessful stint with Lucknow Super Giants, while Axar’s reported reluctance to captain has added to the uncertainty around the franchise’s leadership plans.

Rahul emerges as Chopra’s preferred captaincy candidate

Speaking on JioStar’s Game Plan, Chopra described Delhi’s captaincy situation as a multiple-choice question. He said Pant had been a candidate for the job, Rahul was an option, and Axar reportedly did not want to captain the side.

“There are multiple questions, actually. It’s an MCQ because who will be the captain? Rishabh Pant has been a captaincy candidate, KL Rahul is an option, and I’m hearing that Axar doesn’t want to be the captain,” Chopra said. “So, with everything going on, you don’t even know who will captain the side. It could well be KL Rahul at this stage.”

The decision matters because Delhi are reshaping their group after bringing Pant back through a trade with Lucknow Super Giants that sent spinner Kuldeep Yadav in the other direction. Chopra said Pant should be used in the top four if Delhi are to get the best from him as a batter.

“And Rishabh Pant, now that you have traded him, must bat in the top four. If you are going to bat him lower than that, then you will not utilise him to his fullest potential,” Chopra said.

Chopra also assessed the Kuldeep-Pant trade from Lucknow’s perspective, arguing that LSG were better placed in the exchange because of the value Kuldeep could offer on their home pitch. He said the franchise could not have asked for more than a bowler of Kuldeep’s calibre for that surface.

Middle order praised, pace-bowling concerns remain

While the captaincy call remains unresolved in Chopra’s view, he was positive about the balance and power available in Delhi’s middle order. He named Ashutosh Sharma, Sameer Rizvi, Tristan Stubbs, Axar Patel and David Miller as part of what he considered a “very decent setup”.

However, Chopra raised significant concerns over the fast-bowling department, particularly the availability of overseas players. Mitchell Starc’s participation, he said, could be a subject of discussion, leaving Delhi with an important issue to address before or during the campaign.

“The problem area for them will be their bowling department. Because Mitchell Starc, will he play? It will be a conversation as to whether he will be available to play or not,” Chopra said. “They will face an issue with their fast bowling this season and how they plan to address it, I’ve got no idea.”

Chopra pointed to the different price points within Delhi’s pace group. He noted that Mukesh Kumar was bought for Rs 8 crore, Auqib Nabi for Rs 8.4 crore and Starc for nearly Rs 12 crore. Lungi Ngidi, meanwhile, was signed for Rs 2 crore and described by Chopra as a fantastic bargain, while Dushmantha Chameera and Kyle Jamieson were not as expensive.

He nevertheless questioned the certainty around the more expensive options, citing possible availability issues as well as uncertainty over pedigree and current form. Chopra added that Mukesh Kumar’s T20 numbers had dropped somewhat. For Delhi, the choice of captain and the make-up of the pace attack are now two major issues highlighted ahead of IPL 2027.