Delhi Capitals have appointed former South African captain Faf du Plessis as their vice-captain for the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) season, naming him as deputy to skipper Axar Patel. The experienced right-hander was picked up by DC in the mega auction after being released by Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).
Many had expected India wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul, who captained Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the previous IPL season, to take on the role. However, the Delhi Capitals management opted for du Plessis instead.
The franchise announced the decision through a social media video featuring du Plessis walking inside the Arun Jaitley Stadium and speaking on the phone.
“Hello. I am good, man. How are you? I am at home. Where else will I be? Yes, that’s true. I am vice-captain of DC, and I’m very excited. Delhi has been great, the boys have been fantastic. Definitely feel happy, and I feel ready,” du Plessis said in the clip.
The team captioned the post: “Pick up your phones; it’s your vice-captain calling.”
Faf du Plessis Strengthens DC’s Leadership Group
Delhi Capitals secured du Plessis for ₹2 crore at the mega auction in Saudi Arabia. Initially, many believed he wouldn’t make DC’s playing XI, but Harry Brook’s last-minute withdrawal could have altered the team’s plans. Brook was acquired for ₹6.25 crore but pulled out before the season.
Despite strong performances during his three-year stint at RCB, du Plessis was not retained by the franchise. In IPL 2024, he played a key role in RCB’s playoff qualification, scoring 438 runs. His previous two seasons were even more impressive, with 730 runs in 2023 and 468 in 2022.
Axar Patel to Lead Delhi Capitals in IPL 2025
Earlier, Delhi Capitals announced that Axar Patel would take over as captain for the upcoming season. Patel was one of DC’s retained players, alongside Kuldeep Yadav, Tristan Stubbs, and Abhishek Porel. The franchise spent ₹18 crore to secure his services.
“It is my absolute honor to captain the Delhi Capitals, and I’m deeply grateful to our owners and support staff for placing their faith in me,” Patel said. “I’ve grown as a cricketer and a human being during my time here at the Capitals, and I feel ready and confident to lead this side going forward.”
With DC yet to win an IPL title in 17 seasons, all eyes will be on whether this leadership duo can finally break the franchise’s title drought.
Delhi Capitals will kick off their IPL 2025 campaign against Lucknow Super Giants on Monday, March 24.
Delhi Capitals Squad for IPL 2025:
Axar Patel (c), Kuldeep Yadav, Tristan Stubbs, Abhishek Porel, Mitchell Starc, KL Rahul, Jake Fraser-McGurk, T Natarajan, Karun Nair, Sameer Rizvi, Ashutosh Sharma, Mohit Sharma, Faf du Plessis, Mukesh Kumar, Darshan Nalkande, Vipraj Nigam, Dushmantha Chameera, Donovan Ferreira, Ajay Mandal, Manvanth Kumar, Tripurana Vijay, Madhav Tiwari.
