NEW DELHI: With eight days to the start of IPL 2025, the lineup for captains in the tournament was completed when Delhi Capitals announced star all-rounder and the men’s team’s longest-serving player Axar Patel as captain.
Axar, 31, who had initially joined the Capitals in 2019, has played 82 matches across six seasons for the franchise where he took 62 wickets and scored 967 runs.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Axar is a veteran of 150 IPL matches in which he scored 1653 runs and picked 123 wickets, including a hat-trick in 2016 when he took four wickets in five balls for Punjab.
Pant, who had been DC's long-term captain, moved to Lucknow Super Giants after the Delhi franchise opted against retaining him. LSG acquired his services for Rs 27 crore during the auction and have gone on to appoint him as captain.
Before Axar, Kolkata Knight Riders had named veteran Ajinkya Rahane as captain in what came as a surprise move considering the defending champions had splashed big on Venkatesh Iyer.
Also See: Champions Trophy 2025 | 2025 Champions Trophy Schedule One of the biggest appointments going into the IPL 2025 season is that of Rajat Patidar to try and lead Royal Challengers Bengaluru to their first IPL title. Patidar was one of the two contenders for the leadership role with ex-skipper Virat Kohli the other option. The franchise, however, went for the long-term vision by appointing the 31-year-old.
Patidar, known for his solid batting, now shoulders the responsibility of leading RCB in their pursuit of IPL title. His appointment continues the rich legacy of leadership at the franchise, following in the footsteps of legends such as Rahul Dravid, Kevin Pietersen, Anil Kumble, Daniel Vettori, Virat Kohli, and Faf du Plessis.
IPL 2025 captains
| Team | Captain | Previous season captain |
| Chennai Super Kings | Ruturaj Gaikwad | Ruturaj Gaikwad |
| Gujarat Titans | Shubman Gill | Shubman Gill |
| Mumbai Indians | Hardik Pandya | Hardik Pandya |
| Punjab Kings | Shreyas Iyer | Shikhar Dhawan |
| Rajasthan Royals | Sanju Samson | Sanju Samson |
| Sunrisers Hyderabad | Pat Cummins | Pat Cummins |
| Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Rajat Patidar | Faf du Plessis |
| Kolkata Knight Riders | Ajinkya Rahane | Shreyas Iyer |
| Lucknow Super Giants | Rishabh Pant | KL Rahul |
| Delhi Capitals | Axar Patel | Rishabh Pant |
(TBA - To be announced)
Get the latest IPL 2025 updates on Times of India, including match schedules, team squads, and live scores for CSK, MI, RCB, KKR, SRH, LSG, DC, GT, PBKS, and RR. Find out how to watch IPL 2025 in Canada and the USA.The TOI Sports Desk excels in a myriad of roles that capture the ...
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