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'For the last 17 years, we have been fighting but...': Axar Patel reveals Delhi Capitals strategy for IPL 2025 ahead of LSG clash

Delhi Capitals (DC) will start their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 campaign against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on March 24.

Sports Tak

• Sun • 23 Mar 2025

Axar Patel in Delhi Capitals jersey ahead of IPL 2025 opener

Highlights:

Delhi Capitals will start their IPL 2025 campaign against LSG.

Axar Patel will lead Delhi Capitals in IPL 2025.

Delhi Capitals' new captain Axar Patel wants his team to keep it simple in the 18th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). DC will start their IPL 2025 campaign against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on March 24 at ACA International Cricket Stadium - Visakhapatnam.

Axar replaced Rishabh Pant as DC skipper after the wicketkeeper batter joined LSG as their new captain before the IPL 2025.

"When I had been announced the captain I was really confident about the job. I am playing from 2019 for DC, I will grow as a cricketer in this franchise. I am honoured to be given the responsibility," Axar said ahead of their first match against Lucknow Super Giants here on Monday.

"For the last 17 years, we have been fighting for the title. But we don't care about the results but whatever is in our hands we will follow that.

"Nowadays cricket has changed, IPL is more about a batsman game, fours and sixes, but we have to evolve as a team. As a captain my message to my teammates is to keep it simple and that's my strategy," he added.

Ahead of the IPL 2025 opener, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) lifted the ban on the use of saliva on the ball for the cash-rich league after the majority of captains agreed to the proposal, making it the first major cricket competition to do away with the restriction that was a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Axar lauded that move, saying that it will to some extent create a balance between the bat and the ball.

"IPL is all about batsmen's game, so the usage of saliva is great for the bowlers and the game as well. Also the dew factor is there so after 11 overs we can get a fresh ball it can reverse...good rules," he said.

DC's IPL 2025 squad:

Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Tristan Stubbs, Abishek Porel, Mitchell Starc, KL Rahul, Harry Brook, 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.