The Delhi Capitals (DC)
DC is a franchise cricket team that represents the city of Delhi in the Indian Premier League (IPL). The team was previously known as the Delhi Daredevils but was rebranded as the Delhi Capitals in 2018. The Delhi Capitals have never won the IPL trophy, but they have made it to the playoffs on several occasions.
The team’s home ground is the Arun Jaitley Stadium, formerly known as the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium, which has a capacity of around 41,000 spectators. The Delhi Capitals are owned by the GMR Group and the JSW Group, and they are coached by former Australian captain Ricky Ponting.
History of Delhi Capitals
The Delhi Capitals have had a mixed record in the IPL since their inception in 2008. In the first two seasons, they finished fourth and tenth, respectively, before reaching the semi-finals in 2009. However, since then, they have only made it to the playoffs three times, in 2012, 2019, and 2020.
In the 2019 season, the Delhi Capitals finished third in the league stage, winning nine out of their 14 matches. They then defeated the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Eliminator before losing to the Chennai Super Kings in Qualifier 2. The team had a similar campaign in the 2020 season, finishing second in the league stage with eight wins from 14 matches. They then defeated the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Eliminator before losing to the Mumbai Indians in Qualifier 1.
DC IPL Team Squad
One of the key strengths of the Delhi Capitals is their batting line-up, which includes some of the best Indian and overseas players. The team’s opening pair of Shikhar Dhawan and Prithvi Shaw is one of the most formidable in the IPL, with both players known for their aggressive strokeplay. The middle order is led by the talented captain Shreyas Iyer, who has been with the team since 2015. Other key batsmen in the team include the Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis and the English opener Jason Roy.
IPL 2023 Squad – DC |
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| Player | Role | Auction Price | Nation |
| Rishabh Pant (c&wk) | WT-Batsman | INR 16 Cr(R) | India |
| Prithvi Shaw | Batsman | INR 7.50Cr(R) | India |
| David Warner | Batsman | INR 6.25 Crores(R) | Australia |
| Sarfaraz Khan | Batsman | INR 20 Lakhs(R) | India |
| Yash Dhull | Batsman | INR 50 Lakhs(R) | India |
| Rovman Powell | Batsman | INR 2.80 crores(R) | West Indies |
| Anrich Nortje | Bowler | INR 6.50 Cr(R) | South Africa |
| Kamlesh Nagarkoti | Bowler | INR 1.10 crores(R) | India |
| Mustafizur Rahman | Bowler | INR 2 crores(R) | Bangladesh |
| Lungi Ngidi | Bowler | INR 50 Lakhs(R) | South Africa |
| Khaleel Ahmed | Bowler | INR 5.25 crores(R) | India |
| Chetan Sakariya | Bowler | INR 4.20 crores(R) | India |
| Praveen Dubey | Bowler | INR 50 Lakhs(R) | India |
| Kuldeep Yadav | Bowler | INR 2 crores(R) | India |
| Axar Patel | All-rounder | INR 9 crores(R) | India |
| Mitchell Marsh | All-rounder | INR 6.50 Crores(R) | Australia |
| Lalit Yadav | All-rounder | INR 65 Lakhs(R) | India |
| Ripal Patel | All-rounder | INR 20 Lakhs(R) | India |
| Vicky Ostwal | All-rounder | INR 20 Lakh(R) | India |
| Aman Khan | Allrounder | Traded from KKR | India |
| Ishant Sharma | Bowler | INR 50 lakh | India |
| Phil Salt | WT-Batsman | INR 2 crores | England |
| Mukesh Kumar | Bowler | INR 5.5 crores | India |
| Manish Pandey | Batsman | INR 2.4 crores | India |
| Rilee Rossouw | Batsman | INR 4.6 crores | South Africa |
The Delhi Capitals also have a strong bowling attack, which includes some of the best Indian and overseas bowlers. The experienced South African pacer Kagiso Rabada is the team’s leading wicket-taker in the IPL, with 61 wickets from 35 matches. He was the leading wicket-taker in the 2020 season, with 30 wickets from 17 matches. The team also has the services of the young Indian fast bowler Avesh Khan, who was the second-highest wicket-taker for the team in the 2020 season with 14 wickets.
The Delhi Capitals have also made some shrewd acquisitions in the IPL auction in recent years. In the 2021 auction, they signed the Australian off-spinner Steve Smith, who has been one of the most consistent batsmen in international cricket in the past decade. They also signed the Indian wicket-keeper batsman Sam Billings and the South African fast bowler Anrich Nortje, who was one of the finds of the 2020 season.
The Delhi Capitals are known for their aggressive and fearless brand of cricket, which has won them many fans across the world. The team is led by Shreyas Iyer, who is one of the most promising young captains in Indian cricket. Under his leadership, the team has shown great resilience and fighting spirit, even in tough situations.
The Delhi Capitals have a strong fan following in Delhi and across India. The team’s success in recent seasons has only added to their popularity, and they are expected to do well in the upcoming 2021 IPL season. The team will be hoping to win their first IPL trophy
