Delhi Capitals Captains in IPL: Full List, Leadership Analysis & Win Percentage
Delhi Capitals' Captaincy Journey: Why DC Hasn't Won an IPL Trophy Yet?
Delhi Capitals (formerly Delhi Daredevils) has been one of the most unpredictable teams in IPL history. Despite having great players and reaching the finals once (2020), the franchise is still searching for its first IPL trophy. Over the years, DC has changed multiple captains, but no one has managed to lead them to the title.
In this blog, we analyze all Delhi Capitals captains, their success rate, and the key reasons why they failed to win the IPL.
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Delhi Capitals Captains: Complete List & Success Rate
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Captaincy Analysis: What Went Wrong for Delhi Capitals?
Delhi Capitals have had talented leaders, but several factors have stopped them from lifting the IPL trophy. Let’s analyze their best and worst captains and the reasons behind their failures.
1. Virender Sehwag
(2008-2009, 2011-2012) -
Best Season: 2009 (66.67% Win Rate)
Strengths:
Aggressive batting set the tone for the team as like as Rohit sharma doing currently
Led DC to top of the table in 2009.
What Went Wrong?
Lacked tactical decision-making in knockout matches.
Struggled to handle pressure in playoffs.
2. Gautam Gambhir (2010, 2018) -
Best Season: 2010 (50.00% Win Rate)
Strengths:
-A solid top-order batsman.
-Experience of winning two IPL titles with KKR.
What Went Wrong?
Stepped down in 2018 due to poor form and lack of confidence.
Couldn’t build a consistent playing XI.
3. Mahela Jayawardene (2013) - Worst Season: 2013 (18.75% Win Rate)
Strengths:
A calm and composed leader.
What Went Wrong?
Delhi finished last in 2013 due to weak squad selection.
Poor bowling attack led to frequent defeats.
4. Kevin Pietersen (2014) -
Worst Captain in DC History (9.09% Win Rate only)
Strengths:
As player , he is A match-winner on his days.
What Went Wrong?
Only won 1 out of 11 matches.
Struggled with team communication and injuries.
5. Zaheer Khan (2016-2017) -
Best Season: 2016 (50.00% Win Rate)
Strengths:
Tactically sharp and led the bowling unit well.
What Went Wrong?
Lacked batting depth; team collapsed in big matches.
Inconsistent performances from key players.
6. Shreyas Iyer (2018-2020) - Best Season: 2020 (Runner-up, 52.94% Win Rate)
Strengths:
Took DC to their first-ever IPL final in 2020.
Balanced captain who supported young players.
What Went Wrong?
DC crumbled in the final against Mumbai Indians due to poor shot selection.
Struggled with tactical flexibility in crucial moments.
7. Rishabh Pant (2021-2022, 2024) - Best Season: 2021 (62.50% Win Rate)
Strengths:
Aggressive approach and backing of young players.
What Went Wrong?
Inconsistent middle-order performances.
Missed playoffs in 2022 due to poor finishing in close matches.
8. David Warner (2023) - Struggled with Team Form (35.71% Win Rate)
Strengths:
Experience as a winning captain with SRH (2016).
What Went Wrong?
Couldn’t lead from the front with the bat.
DC’s bowling lacked depth, leading to big defeats.
9. Axar Patel (2025 - Present)
Axar Patel has been appointed as DC’s captain for IPL 2025. While he has no prior IPL captaincy experience, he has been a crucial all-rounder and vice-captain.
Even recent bilateral T20I series against England , he was the vice-caption of Team India
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Key Reasons Why Delhi Capitals Haven’t Won an IPL Title Yet
1. Frequent Captaincy Changes
DC has changed captains too often, affecting team stability. Other successful teams (CSK, MI, KKR) have had long-term leaders.
2. Poor Knockout Performances
DC has reached playoffs multiple times but failed to deliver in pressure situations. 2020 final loss to MI was a prime example.
3. Weak Team Combinations
DC has had inconsistent team selections, with frequent chopping and changing of playing XIs.
4. Lack of Strong Finishers
Over the years, DC has lacked a solid finisher like MS Dhoni, Hardik Pandya, or Andre Russell.
5. Inconsistent Bowling Attacks
While DC had great bowlers like Rabada, Nortje, and Kuldeep, they haven’t always had a well-rounded attack.
6 For mega auction, team did not peaked best player who was later then star of different teams, like - Andre Rusell, AB De (RCB)
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Can Axar Patel Lead DC to Their First IPL Trophy?
With Axar Patel as the new captain, DC will be hoping for a fresh approach in 2025. If he can:
✅ Maintain team stability,
✅ Make smart bowling decisions,
✅ Get support from senior players like Kuldeep Yadav and KL Rahul.
Then Delhi Capitals have a strong chance of winning their first-ever IPL title.
What do you think?
Will Axar Patel end DC’s trophy drought? Comment below!
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