Former India player turned veteran commentator Aakash Chopra has said that the Delhi Capitals (DC) should consider Faf du Plessis’ future with the franchise after IPL 2025 as well. He also stated that the veteran South African batter cannot continue to be the vice-captain, even if he is retained, saying that they find it difficult to drop him as well. With 15 points from 14 games, they finished fifth in IPL 2025.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel ‘Aakash Chopra,’ he said, “If I think from the point of view of what needs to be done next year, say tata, bye-bye to Jake Fraser-McGurk. ₹9 crore gets freed immediately. So you will be able to shop better. Along with that, think about what needs to be done with Faf du Plessis. Comes very cheap, he is for ₹2 crore only, but he is not getting younger by the day, and you cannot make him the vice-captain because when you make him the vice-captain, you drop him only when he gets injured, or else you find it difficult to drop him.”

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“You might have eventually made up your mind to drop him, but Axar got injured by then. So you couldn’t drop him again. So I am wondering what you would do with Faf. You can retain him as well as his price was very low, and let him be a part of the leadership group, but you will have to remove him as a vice-captain,” Chopra again shared.

Moreover, Aakash Chopra also named Mukesh Kumar as another player the Delhi Capitals should release, saying that the seamer has proved expensive since his debut in the IPL.

“After that, I am saying Mukesh Kumar. Mukesh Kumar is worth ₹8 crore, and ever since he has started playing the IPL, I think he is the most expensive bowler among the ones who have bowled at least 100 balls. One gets slightly shocked, but that’s true,” he said.

“His economy rate is close to 10.50 runs per over. How can that be the case? He is a very experienced bowler. It’s not that he is a spring chicken. He has represented India in all three formats. So that makes it ₹17 crore straightaway. If you add Faf’s ₹2 crore to that, it becomes ₹19 crore,” Aakash Chopra concluded.