Delhi Capitals — 2026 squad, form, fixtures and fantasy picks
Delhi Capitals coverage for IPL 2026: confirmed squad, fixture list, last-5 form, probable XI, captaincy and coaching set-up, and the fantasy cricket reads the desk is watching.
Season overview
Delhi Capitals come into the 2026 season as Never won, with 1 W · 6 L after the first seven matches and an NRR of -1.045. The desk's read: Bowlers-emphasis rebuild around Kuldeep, young pace core, top-order still searching for combinations.
The captain is Axar Patel, the head coach is Hemang Badani, and the home venue is Arun Jaitley Stadium. Five players we're watching especially closely this week: Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, David Warner, Mitchell Starc, Tristan Stubbs.
Squad sheet
The DC group for IPL 2026 is built around eight overseas players across 25 names. The roster here tracks the franchise's most recent communications.
| Player | Nationality | Role |
|---|---|---|
| David Warner | Overseas | Opener |
| Jake Fraser-McGurk | Overseas | Opener |
| Shai Hope | Overseas | Top order |
| Tristan Stubbs | Overseas | Wicketkeeper |
| Axar Patel (c) | Indian | All-rounder |
| Rishabh Pant | Indian | Wicketkeeper |
| Abishek Porel | Indian | Batter |
| Mitchell Starc | Overseas | Pace |
| Anrich Nortje | Overseas | Pace |
| Kuldeep Yadav | Indian | Left-arm wrist spin |
| Khaleel Ahmed | Indian | Left-arm pace |
| Impact: Lalit Yadav | Indian | Batter |
Next four on the slate
DC next four: at LSG (Apr 18, evening) · vs RCB (Apr 16, evening) · at GT (May 1, evening) · vs SRH (May 4, evening).
The list above reflects the league's most recent published update for the Delhi Capitals run-in. Reschedules or venue moves get reflected on the schedule page the same day the league confirms them — and we mirror the change here so fantasy players building a captain-pick slate around the next match aren't planning around a stale fixture.
Probable XI for the next game
The XI that lost to GT:
We anchor the XI around the DC spine — Axar Patel's call on team balance, the bowler load-outs that match the next pitch, and one overseas slot held open for impact. When rotation is in play, the bench option is named beside the most likely XI so fantasy players aren't guessing.
Fantasy cricket reads for the squad
Where the DC squad overlaps with this week's fantasy slate, here is where the desk is reading the picks. Three pages the Delhi Capitals captain-cutters tend to land on first:
- Captain picks: tonight's DC likely XI is rated against the next opposition, and the captain-candidate list is ranked by fantasy ROI rather than reputation.
- Dream team: the dream-team builder accepts any Delhi Capitals player, prints the salary cost per pick, and flags combinations that breach the cap before you commit.
- Orange Cap and Purple Cap: the run-scorer and wicket-taker leaderboards have a Delhi Capitals filter, which is the quickest way to see whether the form curve is real or noise.
The bowling curve, in numbers
The Delhi Capitals form curve tracks the run-rate scored and conceded across every completed match this season. Sides that trend up in both directions at once are usually top-four material; sides flat or trending down on either axis tend to finish bottom-half. We refresh the DC curve after every match and surface it on the desk's match-report flow.
Three tactical matchups to watch
The Delhi Capitals matchups the desk is tracking this season. Each one decides a different phase of the game — the new ball, the middle overs, the chase, or the death.
Starc with the new ball
The left-armer's angle across the right-hander at Arun Jaitley sets up the early wicket window. If the new ball moves, DC's middle order gets to chase rather than build.
Kuldeep in the middle overs
Wrist-spin into the right-hander's pad line is the most economical matchup DC runs. The 7-15 window is where this DC side usually wins or loses the game.
Warner-JFM opening pair
Whether the two openers are both right-handed or split-handed dictates which matchup Axar uses at the toss. The combination also changes the type of pace bowler DC can play.
Common reader questions
Who is the Delhi Capitals captain?
The Delhi Capitals captain for IPL 2026 is Axar Patel, with Hemang Badani continuing as head coach.
What is the Delhi Capitals home venue?
The Delhi Capitals play their home matches at Arun Jaitley Stadium.
How many times have the Delhi Capitals won the IPL?
Delhi Capitals — Never won.
When is the Delhi Capitals's next match?
The next four DC fixtures: at LSG (Apr 18, evening) · vs RCB (Apr 16, evening) · at GT (May 1, evening) · vs SRH (May 4, evening). The shortest path to the next match start time is the schedule-fixtures page.
Which Delhi Capitals players should fantasy players consider?
The captain-picks page rates the DC XI against the next opposition each night, and the dream-team builder prints the salary cost per Delhi Capitals pick. Pair the two before locking in a captain choice.
Has the Delhi Capitals squad changed for 2026?
Squads shift at the auction window and through mid-season substitutions. This page tracks the DC squad as it stands today; we update it whenever the franchise confirms a change.
