IPL 2025 Auction: Delhi Capitals Secure KL Rahul And Mitchell Starc Among Top Four Signings

Delhi Capitals assembled a formidable squad of 23 players for IPL 2025, including four retained stars. With a budget of Rs. 73 crores, they secured several high-profile names for the upcoming season.

The Capitals focused on enhancing their team by retaining key spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel before the auction. They then concentrated on strengthening other areas, making notable acquisitions such as KL Rahul for Rs. 14 crores, Mitchell Starc for Rs. 11.75 crores, and T. Natarajan from SRH for Rs. 10.75 crores.

DC's strategy in the IPL 2025 auction was to bolster their batting and pace attack. Retaining core players like Axar Patel, Tristan Stubbs, Abishek Porel, and Kuldeep Yadav, they aimed to fill gaps from past seasons by adding experienced batters and power hitters such as KL Rahul, Jake Fraser-McGurk, and Faf du Plessis.

The team also used the Right to Match card to keep Jake Fraser-McGurk. Additionally, international talents Harry Brook and Faf du Plessis joined the squad, bringing depth and experience.

KL Rahul: The Indian right-handed batter is a valuable addition to DC's lineup for the next IPL season. Known for his consistency in IPL matches, he not only strengthens the batting order but also offers a potential captaincy option.

Jake Fraser-McGurk: This young Australian made an impressive debut late last IPL season with DC. He scored 330 runs in just nine matches at a strike rate of 234.04.

Mitchell Starc: The Australian fast bowler joined DC for Rs. 11.75 crores. Despite conceding many runs early last season, he played a crucial role in KKR's playoff success and could replicate that performance in the next IPL.

T Natarajan: Previously with SRH, this Indian left-arm fast bowler has been pivotal in securing early breakthroughs despite a higher economy rate over recent seasons.

The Capitals have built a strong batting lineup while maintaining an exceptional bowling unit. Their pace attack includes Mitchell Starc, Mukesh Kumar, T. Natarajan, Mohit Sharma, and Dushmantha Chameera—one of the tournament's strongest lineups.