Despite winning first five games on the trot, DC finished fifth on the points table last season.
The DC remaining purse stands at INR 21.8 crore for the IPL 2026 auction as they look to rebuild their middle order. After a rampant start last season, winning five games on the trot, the middle-order of the Delhi Capitals faltered in the latter half of the tournament. Eventually, the franchise managed just seven wins in 14 matches, finishing fifth on the points table, costing them a playoff spot by just one point.
Hence, the focus of Delhi Capitals will be on signing middle-order batters who can stabilise the innings and play match-winning knocks.
Their last Indian Premier League campaign displayed moments of brilliance but lacked consistency in the batting lineup. They relied heavily on KL Rahul at the top with 539 runs and Tristan Stubbs, who often provided late finishes. Apart from them, no other batter managed to score more than 300+ runs, underlining their issues in the middle order. Frequent middle-order collapses and inconsistent performances from Indian batters hurt the team’s ability to post or chase down challenging totals.
Currently, their middle-order lacks experience, with Axar Patel being the only player to play over 50+ IPL games. The addition of another experienced batter who can shift gears depending on the situation would help the Capitals in their quest for the maiden IPL title.
ALSO READ:
Known for power-hitting, Livingstone can join forces with Stubbs in the middle order to provide final flourishes. With his IPL career strike rate of 158.76, Livingstone could be that asset that the Capitals desperately need in their middle order. He also offers useful spin bowling options, allowing the dual benefit. Hence, Livingstone could be a perfect fit in the DC target players list.
The southpaw batter could be another player on the DC IPL 2026 target players because of his proven stroke play and match-finishing abilities. The small boundaries and batting-friendly pitches at Arun Jaitely Stadium and ACA-VDCA Stadium in Visakhapatnam will further work in favour of David Miller. His vast experience of playing for South Africa and franchise cricket and batting in the middle order over the years makes him a formidable option in the DC target players.
Known for his natural six-hitting ability and lower-middle-order role, Manohar has strong domestic credentials. In the Maharaja Trophy 2025, he smashed 284 runs with a strike rate of 165.12. In the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2025, Manohar has already smashed 106 runs at a striking rate of 147.22, highlighting his ability to dismantle any bowling attack while maintaining consistency. Though Manohar has featured in only 27 IPL matches so far, he has been a part of the tournament for the last four years and has shared the dressing room with the likes of Hardik Pandya, Heinrich Klassen, and Travis Head. It’s time to put those learnings into performances as he becomes a part of DC target players.
A 19-year-old Kartik Sharma has been knocking on the doors of the IPL franchise with his recent exploits in domestic cricket. Earlier this year, the head coach was impressed with his ball striking in a video where Kartik tonked a pacer for a six straight down the ground. The right-hander has already scored three centuries in First-Class matches and amassed 201 runs in seven T20s with two fifties under his belt at a strike rate of 164.75. Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin had also mentioned the youngster’s name in one of his YouTube videos.
For more updates, follow CricXtasy on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
