New Delhi: In an era of glitz and glamor cricket, Axar Patel is an outlier. The all-rounder played a key role in India winning three ICC titles (two T20 World Cups and one Champions Trophy) in 21 months. He won games with bat and ball, and his defense was equally memorable.Who can forget his perfectly timed leap to bowl out Mitchell Marsh at deep square leg at Grosse Ile in 2024, or his run back from the point to catch England skipper Harry Brook’s skier in a packed Wankhede in a thrilling T20 World Cup semi-final.
Then there was Will Jacks’ catch in the same game. While the scorecard gives the credit to Shivam Dube, it was Axar’s amazing efforts that made all the difference. He picked up the ball on the run, lost his balance without losing awareness of the boundary pad, and then tossed the ball to the converging Dube to complete the out.The 32-year-old was hailed as a team player throughout. Over the years, he has been labeled India’s “crisis man”, “the underrated man”, Ravindra Jadeja’s “understudy” and even the “eternal bridesmaid”.The 2026 Indian Premier League offers him an opportunity to shake off those tags. Leading Delhi Capitals for the second consecutive season, Axar has a chance to reach the pinnacle of his career.Axar deservedly got all the plaudits at Delhi Capitals’ pre-season press conference on Monday, but he looked like a man on a mission. IPL 2026 could also write the defining chapter for a player who has dedicated his sweat, tears and blood to a franchise that is often seen as a perennial underperformer in the IPL as it enters its eighth consecutive season.
Delhi Capitals captain Axar Patel (right) and director of cricket Venugopal Rao during a press conference ahead of the IPL 2026 season. (Press Trust photo)
“In your first year as captain, you learn a lot, whether it’s about your players, about situations, or about yourself as a leader. Now I feel more settled. I understand the players better, I understand what works for this team and what kind of environment we want to create,” Aksa said.“The focus is on being positive, aggressive and most importantly building trust. When players feel supported and trusted, they automatically take responsibility and perform better. As captain, I know this very well. “Delhi Capitals will begin their campaign against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on April 1 at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium. Aqsa’s first priority is to kick off the season with a win. The Delhi franchise has often come close to the target in the past but have yet to get the job done. Axar knows this very well, having played 84 games for Delhi.Must read | Understated, indispensable: Why Axar Patel remains India’s unsung MVP“We’re not going to sit back and keep talking about the past. Everyone knows we’ve been close at some points and as players you realize that anyway. The conversation is always about what we can do better in the future. Maybe one or two games might change things, but that’s the way the game is. We’re focused on staying positive and improving as a unit rather than carrying those ideas into the new season,” he said.
Everyone knew we were close at some points and as a player you realize that anyway. The conversation is always about what we can do better in the future
Delhi Capitals captain Axar Patel
If Delhi Capitals want to end their drought, Axar must step up and step up with bat, ball and captaincy. Interestingly, Axar has never crossed the 300-run mark in 162 IPL matches played in 12 years. The all-rounder couldn’t have done better in his first season, taking 17 wickets for Kings XI Punjab (now Kings XI Punjab). But as Delhi Capitals Director of Cricket Venugopal Rao said, the management is confident that Axar can win the elusive trophy.“Franchise cricket and Team India are completely different. There is a different culture. At the franchise level, there are players from different countries coming together to play. In Team India, everyone knows how they are going to play. The winning mentality of Team India is that everyone is flexible enough to adapt to any role and conditions. At the franchise level, as captain, I want to bring that. You can’t play just one way,” he said.“In the Indian team, roles are fixed. At the team level, sometimes the opener has to play the middle role.“I’m very excited about the new season. Regardless of the mistakes we made last season, we have good reserves in the pace department both at the start and at auction. We have a mature team and we are very excited about competing for the championship,” Aksa added.
Delhi Capitals coach Hemang Badani (right) and captain Axar Patel during a press conference ahead of the IPL 2026 season. (Ministry of Public Transport)
Axar also made it clear that as an all-rounder, He’s not a big fan of the impact player rule. “As an all-around player, I personally don’t like the impact player rule. Earlier, you had to choose all-rounders. Therefore, the team management can select a specific batsman or bowler. So, I don’t like it,” he said.Axar Patel also shared what he learned while captaining Delhi last season. Don’t forget, he was the vice-captain of India’s T20 World Cup-winning team, which was knocked out of the Super Eights against South Africa.“I’m not saying I’m not totally focused on the numbers or the game. It depends on the specific situation. I take all factors into consideration and evaluate. That’s not to say I don’t watch the games or the numbers. I follow everything and then it depends. You have to know when to use what weapon. When you make a decision on the spot, it depends on how you feel at the time. Obviously, you also act on instinct. It’s a mixture of factors,” he said.For Axar Patel, IPL 2026 is not just another season but an opportunity to redefine his story. A player long valued for his selflessness is now at the heart of Delhi Capitals’ ambitions. If he can combine all-around consistency with decisive leadership, this could be the season where he finally transitions from reliable supporter to someone who delivers the ultimate prize.
