In a massive news coming from the DC camp, the team is likely to retain three key players — Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, and Rishabh Pant, ahead of the IPL 2025 auctions. The report from PTI also suggests that Hemang Badani is in the running to become DC head coach, while Munaf Patel could be the bowling coach.
It is important to note that DC had parted ways with Ricky Ponting before the IPL retentions, who had been with the team since 2018. “DC management is looking at quality home-grown coaches and Hemang and Munaf’s names have cropped up. A final decision is yet to be taken but in case of Munaf, it could be bowling coach’s job,” an IPL source told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
Not just that, DC could rehire Rishabh for INR 18 Cr, Axar for 14 Cr, and Kuleep for 11 Cr. If the foreign retentions are to be considered — then Jake-Fraser McGurk and Tristan Stubbs look to be making the cut, via RTM. It must also be mentioned that despite a mediocre season, the three emerged as star players for their franchise.
In 13 matches for DC, Rishabh Pant had scored 446 runs in 13 matches, at an average of 40.55, with three fifties. Whereas, Axar in 14 matches had 11 wickets, and even scored 235 runs. Kuldeep was equally good in the tournament this year, where in 11 matches, he managed to get 16 wickets. As a team, DC had finished sixth in the points table with 7 wins in 14 matches, and narrowly missed out on the qualification.
DC 2024 Squad: Rishabh Pant, Pravin Dubey, David Warner, Vicky Ostwal, Prithvi Shaw, Anrich Nortje, Abishek Porel, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Lungi Ngidi, Lalit Yadav, Khaleel Ahmed, Mitchell Marsh, Ishant Sharma, Yash Dhull, Mukesh Kumar.