Delhi Capitals have several important decisions to make ahead of the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) season, with the captaincy position emerging as one of their biggest concerns. The franchise’s leadership plans have come under the spotlight following Rishabh Pant’s return to the squad in a trade deal that saw Kuldeep Yadav move to Lucknow Super Giants. Former India cricketer and commentator Aakash Chopra has discussed Delhi’s possible captaincy candidates, highlighting the uncertainty surrounding the role.

While Pant and KL Rahul are among the available options, Axar Patel’s reported reluctance to continue as captain could force the management to consider an alternative. “There are multiple questions, actually. It’s an MCQ because who will be the captain? Rishabh Pant has been a captaincy candidate, KL Rahul is an option, and I’m hearing that Axar doesn’t want to be the captain. So, with everything going on, you don’t even know who will captain the side. It could well be KL Rahul at this stage,” Aakash Chopra said on JioStar.

Pant’s previous experience as a captain, including his stint with Lucknow Super Giants, could make him a strong contender. However, Chopra believes Delhi must also ensure that the wicketkeeper-batter gets the right position in the batting order. According to him, bringing Pant back into the squad would make little sense if the franchise does not allow him to bat in the top four.

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“And Rishabh Pant, now that you have traded him, must bat in the top four. If you are going to bat him lower than that, then you will not utilise him to his fullest potential. I felt that in that trade, LSG was better off because you couldn’t have asked for more than a bowler of Kuldeep’s calibre for that pitch,” he added.

While Delhi appear to have a strong middle-order batting combination, their bowling department could create selection headaches. Chopra highlighted the presence of Ashutosh Sharma, Sameer Rizvi, Tristan Stubbs, Axar Patel and David Miller as a major strength, giving the franchise several dependable options in the middle order.

However, uncertainty over Mitchell Starc’s availability has raised questions about the team’s fast-bowling resources. “Ashutosh, Sameer Rizvi, Tristan Stubbs, plus Axar Patel, and then you’ve got Miller. So, it’s a very decent setup. The problem area for them will be their bowling department,” Aakash Chopra said. “Because Mitchell Starc, will he play? It will be a conversation as to whether he will be available to play or not. They will face an issue with their fast bowling this season and how they plan to address it, I’ve got no idea,” he added.

Delhi have invested considerably in strengthening their pace attack. Mukesh Kumar was bought for ₹8 crore, while Auqib Nabi attracted a bid of ₹8.4 crore. Starc’s acquisition, at nearly ₹12 crore, also represents a substantial financial commitment.

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On the other hand, Lungi Ngidi could prove to be one of their smartest purchases after joining for just ₹2 crore. Dushmantha Chameera and Kyle Jamieson were also secured without significant expenditure. Aakash Chopra questioned whether the more expensive acquisitions would be consistently available and deliver according to expectations. He also pointed towards Mukesh Kumar’s declining T20 numbers as another concern for Delhi.

“Mukesh is at eight crore, Auqib Nabi at Rs 8.4 crore, and then you have Mitchell Starc at nearly 12, so that’s a lot of money. Lungi Ngidi was cheap, picked up for Rs 2 crore. He turned out to be a fantastic bargain,” Aakash Chopra said. With leadership uncertainty and questions surrounding their bowling combination, Delhi Capitals still have important issues to resolve before the new IPL campaign.