Axar Patel will lead Delhi Capitals for second consecutive season in IPL 2026.
Former India batter Cheteshwar Pujara has given a sharp warning to Delhi Capitals (DC) captain Axar Patel ahead of IPL 2026. This will be his second season as IPL captain after taking over from Rishabh Pant last year.
In an interaction on Star Sports, Pujara highlighted Axar’s ability to remain calm and casual under pressure, which might not be too bad a thing for the IPL environment. However, the former India No.3 batter went on to warn Axar against becoming over casual and relaxed during the season.
“Axar Patel is quite calm; he does not take too much pressure. His personality is really good, especially for the IPL, where there is a lot of pressure. He backs his players, but he should be careful of not being over-relaxed. He should not be extra casual and let momentum slip and go away from you. DC had momentum last year, but they let go of that. He has to be careful of that this season.”
Pujara’s remarks stem from Delhi Capitals’ poor run in the second half of IPL 2025, as they narrowly missed out on a playoff spot, finishing fifth on the points table with 15 points. Under Axar Patel’s captaincy, DC won 5 of their first six matches before losing five of their next seven, with one ending in a no-result due to rain, to crash out of the tournament.
While a quality all-rounder, Axar Patel made numerous errors as a captain last season, with several calls backfiring at times. A couple of initial wins came due to individual flashes of brilliance from different players, but even then, Delhi Capitals made tactical errors.
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However, Axar might be better equipped to lead this time. He must have gained experience from mistakes last season and is also India’s vice-captain in T20Is for a good period now.
Being in the leadership group in the Indian team would have given him ample opportunities to learn how to use resources and make wise decisions in crunch situations. When Axar Patel took over the captaincy last year, his experience as the main leader was limited, but it has changed now after one full IPL season and a T20 World Cup at home.
As a player, Axar’s credentials were never in doubt, and this season will present an opportunity to prove himself as a leader by helping Delhi Capitals win the tournament. That will obviously help him strengthen his case to become India’s next T20I captain since Suryakumar Yadav’s leadership role remains uncertain due to his recent form struggles and age.
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