Delhi Capitals (DC) captain Axar Patel is satisfied with the performance of his team in the current IPL 2025 (Indian Premier League). They began their season with four consecutive wins. Then, they lost a match against the Mumbai Indians (MI) and a match against the Gujarat Titans (GT). Other than that, they won six out of eight matches.

In the majority of the games, KL Rahul, Abhishek Porel, Axar Patel, and Tristan Stubbs have played some excellent knocks. If we talk about the bowlers, they have picked wickets in pressure situations, winning the game for the team. The Delhi-based team also won a Super Over quite convincingly due to the contribution of the batters. But most of it should be attributed to Mitchell Starc for holding nine runs in the final over and conceding only ten runs in the Super Over.

In a Star Sports interview, Axar spoke about the combination of the team and how the players have been playing well, and as a captain, that's wonderful news. DC need only two more victories to make it to the playoffs. But if they wish to end up in the top two spots, they need to continue winning more games since GT are also playing fantastically well.

Watch the video here

"Everything is going according to us." #AxarPatel, Delhi Capitals skipper, expresses confidence in his team and is ready to take on RCB 🤯

Will DC make it 2-0, or RCB have a comeback lined up? 🤔#IPLonJioStar 👉 #DCvRCB | 27th APR, SUN, 6:30 PM | LIVE on Star Sports 1, Star… pic.twitter.com/7LFBbykZfa

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) April 27, 2025

Also read: IPL 2025: CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan speaks on team's struggles following 6 losses in 8 matches

Axar has led well this season

In the current IPL 2025, till now, Axar Patel has not performed well with his bowling but has performed quite well with the bat. Thus, even though he has not made a strong impression with the ball, his batting has offered a balance to Delhi. Axar has made some tough decisions as a captain that have come in favour of the team on numerous occasions. Following a great performance this season, DC will be looking forward to qualifying for the playoffs this year.

The squad will also be hoping to see Axar get his bowling back on track at the right time, and this could bring in another aspect to Delhi Capitals' overall game strategy. As DC search for their inaugural ever IPL championship, Axar's two-pronged aspect of being a solid batsman and a motivational captain can be the driving force behind their victory.

Pant's Toss Banter Sets the Mood

During match 40 of IPL 2025, the toss was not just a coin toss—it was a proper "toss par bakchodi" affair. Lucknow Super Giants captain Rishabh Pant, resplendent with his characteristic swag and cheeky attitude, did a quick one-liner: "Definitely (would have bowled first). It slows down a bit in the first innings, but improves as the game goes on. The hand is fine. Not losing too many early wickets is the secret. We don't pay attention to what is going on around us. We are playing with the same side." Pant's words not only spoke of an underlying strategy but also provided fans a peek into his never-varying cool under pressure, even as he had fought injury earlier in the season.

toss par bakchodi raat bhar...
pic.twitter.com/EWOmq9ysgc

— a. 🎀 (@incessantkohli) April 22, 2025

Also Read:-Harsha Bhogle Speaks Out on CAB and BCCI Speculation

Star-Laden XIs Guarantee Fireworks

The two teams have loaded XIs with match-winners. Delhi Capitals are spearheaded by Axar Patel, supported by KL Rahul, Abishek Porel, Karun Nair, and Tristan Stubbs at the top. Their attacking bowling arsenal includes Mitchell Starc and Kuldeep Yadav, who can turn the match around at any moment. DC's finisher standbys are Jake Fraser-McGurk and Donovan Ferreira, waiting to turn the tide.

While that is the case, LSG has a perilous lineup in Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, Nicholas Pooran, and the perpetually explosive Rishabh Pant himself. With David Miller and Abdul Samad joining the line-up, the batting depth is deadly. Their bowling department, with Ravi Bishnoi and Avesh Khan, is just as deadly. Their impact players Ayush Badoni and Mayank Yadav can prove to be game-changers.

A Night of High Stakes and High Hopes

With such strong lineups and self-assured captains, tonight's match is not another league game—it's a playoff-deciding showdown. While the fans prepare for a roller-coaster evening, the toss jokes and player games of mind are already making the rounds. Firecrackers on and off the field are to be annihilated tonight.

It was a questionable decision from Gujarat Titans (GT) captain Shubman Gill not to introduce Sai Kishore in the middle-order overs, when Delhi Capitals (DC) batters were rotating strike rate with ease. In IPL 2025, Game 35, Sai Kishore asked to bowl only the last over of the first innings. He delivered exactly what the skipper asked him to do— offered only 9 runs and took the wicket of Ashutosh Sharma. But why did Gill introduce Kishore so late?

Delhi Capitals displayed an all-round batting performance against GT at the Narendra Modi Stadium. The stadium has a reputation for recording multiple high-scoring matches; the surface of the ground is often found to be batting-friendly.

The Capitals' batters discovered the surface is ideal for a big total, and they did start their innings with flowing runs. Experienced Ishant Sharma was the only exception from GT's bowling department, who took a wicket and in exchange had a 6.33 economy rate. Other than Ishant, Prasidh Krishna was the best performer with the ball, bagging 4 scalps with a 10.25 economy rate. 

Read More: Watch IPL 2025: Buttler’s Brilliant Catch Dismisses Vipraj in Style

Krishna, Rashid Khan, Mohammed Siraj, and Arshad Khan all were expensive, with an economy rate of around 10 in total. So why did Shubman Gill not prefer Sai to slow down the opponent's strike rate? 

A bold decision by Shubman Gill 

A possible answer is Axar Patel, Delhi Capitals skipper himself. Sai Kishore has a very poor record against Axar. Whenever the young spinner bowled, Patel, something exciting happened, mostly in favor of Axar. He has experience batting against the spinner with a pretty high strike rate. 

Delhi Capitals already was running with a high strike rate margin; Axar was in the middle of the park with the bat. In that scenario, Gill probably chose the safest option, not to use Sai Kishore as a bowler as long as Axar Patel was on the field. GT's none of their strategy was able to restrict Delhi from grabbing a total of 203 runs in their 20 overs limit. 

Narendra Modi Stadium (Ahmedabad) is ready to host the 35th match of the IPL 2025, Gujarat Titans vs Delhi Capitals (GT vs DC) on Saturday afternoon (April 19). Let's check the Dream11 top captains and vice-captains for the GT vs DC match. 

IPL 2025, Match 35: GT vs DC Probable XIs

Gujarat Titans Predicted Playing XI: Shubman Gill (Captain), Sai Sudharsan, Jos Buttler (wk), Sherfane Rutherford/Arshad Khan (Impact Subs), Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia/Anuj Rawat, Washington Sundar, Rashid Khan, Sai Kishore, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna

Delhi Capitals Predicted Playing XI: Faf du Plessis/Jake Fraser-McGurk, Abishek Porel, Karun Nair, Tristan Stubbs, KL Rahul (wk), Axar Patel (Captain), Ashutosh Sharma/Mukesh Kumar (Impact Sub), Vipraj Nigam, Kuldeep Yadav, Mitchell Starc, Mohit Sharma

See Also: IPL 2025: GT vs DC Prediction– Match 35, Who will win today?

IPL 2025, Match 35: GT vs DC Dream11 Top Captains And Vice-captains

Top 3 Dream11 Captain choices

Sai Sudharsan: GT opener Sai Sudharsan is the second leading run-scorer in the IPL 2025 after scoring 329 runs in six games, with an average of 54.83 and a strike rate of 151.61, including four half-centuries. His scores this season are 74, 63, 49, 5, 82, and 56 runs, respectively. 

KL Rahul: Delhi Capitals' leading run-scorer KL Rahul is in great form, as the DC batting line-up depends on batting. He has scored 238 runs in five innings with an average of 59.50 and a strike rate of 154.54, including two half-centuries. His scores this season are 15, 77, 93*, 15, and 38, respectively. 

Shubman Gill: GT captain Shubman Gill has scored 208 runs in six games in the IPL 2025, while the right-handed batter has an average of 41.60 and a strike rate of 149.64. He has recorded two half-centuries this season, and his scores this season are 33, 38, 14, 61*, 2, and 60, respectively. 

Top 3 Dream11 Vice-captain choices

Axar Patel: Although Delhi Capitals captain Axar Patel has produced very limited performances in the IPL 2025, only with the bat, Ahmedabad is his very popular venue, which is his home venue in domestic cricket. So, he will be a key for Delhi Capitals on Saturday afternoon. 

Mitchell Starc: Delhi Capitals' left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Starc has recorded 10 wickets in six games, including a fifer. He also won the Player of the Match award in their last game against Rajasthan Royals, where he was a hero in the Super Over win.

Prasidh Krishna: Prasidh Krishna is a consistent performer with the ball for Gujarat Titans, as the right-arm pacer picked up 10 wickets in six matches with an incredible economy rate of 6.95. 

On April 16th, IPL 2025, Delhi Capitals defeated Rajasthan Royals in a nail-biting Super Over match at Arun Jaitley Stadium through the leadership of Axar Patel. Abhishek Porel scored 49 from 37 balls, while Tristan Stubbs remained unbeaten on 34 from 18, and Axar Patel hit 34 from his 14 balls to help Delhi Capitals reach 188/5. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Nitish Rana both scored fifty runs for Rajasthan Royals, but Mitchell Starc delivered a perfect performance in the Super Over to give victory to Delhi Capitals.

At his post-match news conference, Axar Patel expressed his joy about leading the team as he used his state cricket experience. “As a captain, I’m enjoying my role. I was doing all this for state cricket as well. I know what to do and what not to do,” he said. He understands both the proper actions and improper behaviors he needs to take in this situation. “When you get the chance to run the team according to you and play the way you want, that’s the best thing.”

Looking back at the Super Over, Patel joked, 'Aisi situation mei main hi kyon aage aa jata hun,' but praised his side's perseverance. "These are the moments that reveal the character of the team," he exclaimed, ecstatic over the victory. His leadership and calmness in tight spots were instrumental in steering the dramatic conclusion.

Also Read: Watch: MS Dhoni joins forces with Lionel Messi in new Ad, flaunts impressive football skills

Starc’s Mastery and Patel’s Team-First Approach

During the critical moment, Patel commended Australian bowler Mitchell Starc for his excellent execution of reverse swing. Starc's ability to master reverse swing stands alone from his ability to execute this technique effectively, as he displayed peak performance in the 18th over and death overs, according to Bumrah's evaluation. The team previously discussed field placements with Patel, who declared, “He’s a legend for Australia with a clear mindset.” During batting, Patel explained that his play depends on team needs by entering the match only when necessary to preserve the left-right batting order.

The thrilling IPL 2025 match against Mumbai Indians today witnessed Axar Patel delivering an excellent fielding performance, which earned crucial six runs for his Delhi Capitals team. During the match, Mumbai Indians batter Naman Dhir launched a powerful shot that seemed certain to result in a six for an MI maximum.

The agile positioning and deft movements of Fielding by Axar allowed him to catch sensitive plays in the ropes area. When the ball approached the boundary, Axar detonated into a sprinted effort to catch it right before reaching the rope boundary. Even as he fell while crossing the boundary line throughout his tumble, Axar managed to deliver an accurate throw that bounced within the field before he touched the grass outside. By swiftly moving and correctly throwing the ball back, Axar managed to keep it on the field from becoming a certain six over the boundary.

ONE OF THE CRAZIEST SAVES IN THE IPL - AXAR PATEL. 🤯👏pic.twitter.com/nmrL0zysfV

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) April 13, 2025

Also read:  Top 5 fastest centuries while chasing in history of IPL

The effort drew applause from teammates and fans alike, showcasing Axar’s commitment and brilliance in the field.  Fielding displays such talent and shows how important it is to defend the boundary in close matches, and this moment rose as a perfect illustration of fielding skill importance in T20 cricket.

M Chinnaswamy Stadium (Bengaluru) will host the 24th match of the IPL 2025 on Thursday evening (April 10), Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Delhi Capitals (RCB vs DC). Here, we are going through the Dream11 top captains and vice-captains of the match. 

IPL 2025, Match 24: RCB vs DC Probable XIs

Royal Challengers Bengaluru Predicted Playing XI: Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, Rajat Patidar (Captain), Devdutt Padikkal/Suyash Sharma (Impact Player Sub), Liam Livingstone, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Josh Hazlewood, Yash Dayal 

Delhi Capitals Predicted Playing XI: Faf du Plessis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Abishek Porel, Tristan Stubbs, KL Rahul (wk), Axar Patel (Captain), Ashutosh Sharma or Sameer Rizvi/Mukesh Kumar (Impact Sub), Kuldeep Yadav, Mitchell Starc, Mohit Sharma, Vipraj Nigam

See Also: IPL 2025: RCB vs DC – M. Chinnaswamy stadium stats and status preview

IPL 2025, Match 24: RCB vs DC Dream11 Top Captains And Vice-captains

Top 3 Captain choices

Virat Kohli: The leading run-scorer in IPL history, Virat Kohli started the IPL 2025 strongly as he has already hit two 50+ scores. The right-handed batter has provided strong starts with the scores of 59*, 31, 7, and 67.

Josh Hazlewood: RCB pacer Josh Hazlewood is in great form with the ball. Apart from picking up eight wickets in four matches, he has an economy rate of 7.76. 

KL Rahul: KL Rahul is an in-form batter who scored 77 runs in their last game to win the Player of the Match award for Delhi Capitals in the 25-run win against Chennai Super Kings. 

Top 3 Vice-captain choices

Axar Patel: All-rounder Axar Patel, who is also the captain of Delhi Capitals, is still waiting for his first wicket in the ongoing IPL season, while the left-handed batter has played the knocks of 22 and 21 runs. 

Rajat Patidar: New RCB captain Rajat Patidar is batting furiously in the IPL 2025 as he has a strike rate of 175.00. In this IPL season, he has scored 34, 51, 12, and 64 runs, respectively, and won the Player of the Match award in the last game. 

Krunal Pandya: After starting this IPL season with a Player of the Match award against the defending champions and hosts Kolkata Knight Riders for a three-wicket haul, Krunal Pandya took four wickets in their last game against Mumbai Indians to secure a close victory in the high-scoring game. 

Axar Patel on MS Dhoni: The man who remains quiet most of the time has good man management skills and leadership qualities off the field as well. We are talking about the former World Cup-winning team India captain MS Dhoni, known as 'Captain Cool.' His decorated career was filled with multiple ICC and individual trophies and lots of untold stories.

Read More: IPL 2025: CSK vs DC - A Head to Head breakdown

Axar Patel is a whole-hearted MS Dhoni fan. Patel often told about how MS helped to groom and nourish his talent. A video, recently on the internet, has started to gain attention from cricket fans. This video is all about Mahi from the mouth of Axar Patel.

In this video we can hear Axar say, "I have a very good relationship with Mahi Bhai (MS Dhoni). We have shared the dressing room, and I asked him how to improve my game." Patel shared that he got a message from his idol before the World Cup and the Champions Trophy as well. Patel, later in the conversation, said with a giggle, 'He (MS Dhoni) told me that sometimes my deliveries hit the right spot on the deck, sometimes not. So Dhoni advised me for some vidhi idhi (ritual)".

Axar Patel talking about MS Dhoni & his message after the Champions Trophy. ❤️🙇

- MS, AN INSPIRATION..!!!! 🐐

pic.twitter.com/RTz50LRPN2

— Tanuj (@ImTanujSingh) April 4, 2025

Patel, in numerous interviews, said about MS Dhoni. In an interview, the Indian spinners said, "On the second day of the Melbourne Boxing Day Test. I was like, 'What just happened?' Everyone was quiet, and Ravi (Shastri) bhai called everyone and said, Everybody, we have to make an announcement. Mahi is retiring. (Suresh) Raina bhai started crying, and everyone got emotional."

He further added, "It was my first meeting with Mahi bhai. But before I could say anything, he said to me, 'Bapu, tu aaya aur mujhe le gaya'."

"Delhi Kidnaps Faf du Plessis!": Hilarious Video Shows His IPL 'Initiation'

Faf du Plessis Relishing the Delhi's Spirit in a Fun Promo VideoThe Delhi Capitals have taken the internet by storm with a fun promo video featuring Faf du Plessis. In a great surprise, du Plessis found himself at the center of a silly initiation, and became an honorary "Delhi-ite". The video made in association with PUMA Cricket encapsulates the entertainment and happy-go-lucky team spirit of the IPL franchise.

Watch video:

We always knew @faf1307 is a true Delhi-ite 😂🫶 @DelhiCapitals #PUMAxDC pic.twitter.com/NsYaJ12TSR

— PUMA Cricket (@pumacricket) March 31, 2025

Also Read:-Will BCCI Clear Samson or Keep Him in Doubt?

A Fun Way to Showcase Team SpiritThe video shows du Plessis in a series of comical situations with his teammates Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav lounging around him in a goofy assortment of things. From a mock interrogation to just simply bonding as a team, the video served up a great amount of energy and laughter. Du Plessis' facial expressions combined with the goofy activities of his teammates made for just that much more fun.Further adding to the laughter, the video really benefited from allowing us to see the close-knit nature of the Delhi Capitals team. Fans took to social media to love the friendly atmosphere that seemed to come so easy to the players. Many also commented on how well they channeled friendship while competing against one another.This marketing initiative not only has fans excited for the start of the IPL season, but also re-emphasizes...

On Sunday afternoon (March 30), the 10th match of the IPL 2025, Delhi Capitals vs SunRisers Hyderabad (DC vs SRH), has been scheduled at Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium (Visakhapatnam). Let's check out the Dream11 top captains and vice-captains selections for this match. 

IPL 2025, Match 10: DC vs SRH Probable XIs

Delhi Capitals Predicted Playing 11: Faf du Plessis, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Abishek Porel, Tristan Stubbs, KL Rahul (wk), Axar Patel (Captain), Ashutosh Sharma, Kuldeep Yadav, Mitchell Starc, Mohit Sharma, Darshan Nalkande    

SunRisers Hyderabad Predicted Playing 11: Travis Head/Adam Zampa (Impact Sub), Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Aniket Verma, Abhinav Manohar, Simarjeet Singh, Pat Cummins (Captain), Mohammed Shami, Harshal Patel

See Also: Delhi Capitals vs SunRisers Hyderabad (DC vs SRH): Match 10, IPL 2025, Match Preview

IPL 2025, Match 10: DC vs SRH Dream11 Top Captains And Vice-captains

Top 3 Captain's choices

Travis Head: Australian cricketer Travis Head is proving again why all teams fear him, as he has started the IPL 2025 by providing two solid starts for his team SRH. After scoring 67 off 31 balls (nine fours and three sixes) against Rajasthan Royals in their tournament opener, Head scored 47 off 28 balls (five fours and three sixes) against Lucknow Super Giants.  

Axar Patel: Indian all-rounder Axar Patel is in good form as an all-rounder. The leadership duty can be a huge task for Axar, but he is now capable of handling it. In their season opener, while Patel had the bowling figures of 3-0-18-0, he set up the dramatic chasing journey after coming to bat at 7/3 and scored a quick-fire 22 off 11 balls (three fours and one six).

KL Rahul: KL Rahul missed out on Delhi Capitals' season opener, but he is now ready for his debut for Delhi Capitals. He is in good form with the bat and is likely to take the middle-order batting role for his new IPL team. 

Top 3 Vice-captain's choices

Mitchell Starc: Australian left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Starc started the IPL 2025 season with three wickets against Lucknow Super Giants as he had the bowling figures of 4-0-42-3. Even though the batters hit him, Starc has the ability to return to the game by picking up wickets.

Kuldeep Yadav: The left-arm chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav is now a stronger bowler by improving his consistency with the ball. During Delhi's season opener, Kuldeep had the bowling figures of 4-0-20-2.

Pat Cummins: Australian captain Pat Cummins is one of the top cricketers. Besides his bowling, Cummins is also useful for his big hits, smashing sixes in the first three balls during their previous fixture against Lucknow Super Giants. In their last game, while all other SRH bowlers were struggling, captain Cummins provided a brave fight with two wickets, and both victims were set batters Mitchell Marsh (52) and Nicholas Pooran (70).