Rishabh Pant may have returned to Delhi Capitals ahead of IPL 2027, but captain Axar Patel has made it clear that there will be no change in the franchise’s leadership structure. The India all-rounder has confirmed that he will continue as Delhi Capitals captain while assuring Pant complete freedom to play his natural game.

Pant’s return marks one of the biggest moves ahead of the new IPL season. After leaving Delhi Capitals and joining Lucknow Super Giants for a record-breaking ₹27 crore deal, the wicketkeeper-batter has now found his way back to the franchise where he built his reputation as one of India’s most exciting cricketers. The trade reportedly saw Delhi acquire Pant for ₹15 crore, while Kuldeep Yadav moved to LSG at his retention value of ₹13.25 crore.

Despite speculation about how the leadership dynamic could work, Axar Patel dismissed any concerns and emphasised that his relationship with Pant has always been built on mutual respect. “Between us there has never been any difference as a friend or as a captain,” Axar said in a video shared by Delhi Capitals.

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“Basically, when he was at DC, he was my captain and he was leading me. At that time also, there was no wall between us that I am the captain and you have to do as I say,” he added.

.@RishabhPant17, Bapu has a message for you 📨💙 pic.twitter.com/hHJ5DpFnIz

— Delhi Capitals (@DelhiCapitals) June 24, 2026

The Delhi Capitals skipper explained that both players understand each other’s strengths and are experienced enough to work together without any ego clashes. “We worked under mutual understanding, and we both are senior players, so we both knew what each of us could be in the given situation,” Axar said. “As a friend and as a captain, I will tell him that he knows his stuff and he has no extra pressure from me or the franchise.”

Axar also described Delhi Capitals as Pant’s cricketing home and reiterated that the wicketkeeper-batter would enjoy complete backing from the team management.

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“This is his house. Delhi is his home,” Axar Patel said. “He will get full freedom from me as a captain. The 31-year-old also offered words of encouragement to Pant, who endured a difficult spell with LSG and faced scrutiny over his form. “Just enjoy yourself and be true to your character. Form is temporary and class is permanent,” Axar remarked.

Meanwhile, Delhi Capitals are expected to undergo significant changes off the field as well. Former India captain Sourav Ganguly is set to continue as Head of Cricket, while reports suggest Yuvraj Singh could join the franchise as head coach. Questions also remain over KL Rahul’s role in the squad following Pant’s return, making IPL 2027 a fascinating new chapter for the Capitals.