Out of the eight sides playing in the first IPL season back in 2008, just Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals haven’t lifted the cup so far. In IPL 2025, things looked promising early for the team led by Axar Patel, though momentum slipped later. By the end, they landed at fifth place overall. KL Rahul holds the key for their batters; according to Ravichandran Ashwin, he should bat right at the top. During one game versus CSK, on a tricky two-paced track, his innings stood out clearly. Still, they did not pair him up front once since then. This year, see that he leads off. Should he do so, the Orange Cap could follow. Team him with Pathum Nissanka right at the start. Stick to such simple moves, then step back,” Ashwin mentioned on his YouTube page.
The former India spinner added that DC needed to be simple and consistent in its selections. “By trying to do too much as a support staff, you can impact the team in unimaginable ways. Ashutosh Sharma produced one amazing knock, but it felt like he never played after that. Suddenly, Sameer Rizvi played a game,” he said.
Speed slipped hard in Natarajan since that last match. Maybe he shows up sharp this time, given his draft weight. Then again, their pace group stands strong regardless. Should Starc sit out, Lungi Ngida fills the gap just fine. A brilliant run of yorkers came from Mukesh Kumar. Last season, Kuldeep Yadav made the ball dance exactly where he wanted. With him, Axar Patel stands firm as a pair of reliable spin options for India. Opening with the new ball could suit Auqib Nabi if given the chance
A single twist could change everything – this team’s path might be bumpy, yet playoff chances still hang in the balance.
“DC have a good chance if they don’t constantly change their 11. Despite having a strong squad, they’ve found the magic recipe to get knocked out. If they utilise their resources well, they can give even MI a run for their money. Such is the strength of DC’s squad. But my prediction is they’ll just about have a chance to qualify by stuttering through the season,” the former CSK star said.
