Delhi Capitals is not yet out of IPL 2026, but it could be. Currently ranked seventh in the points table, their playoff hopes are very low.
Only two matches are left for Delhi in the league stage and even victory in both will not be enough to take them to the last four. Apart from help from other results, they will also need a significant improvement in their net run rate.
Currently, they have 5 wins from 12 matches, and among others, their captain Axar Patel has also come under criticism for not letting the team settle into a line-up.
Delhi Capitals have not made the IPL playoffs since 2021, and not making the top four in 5 consecutive seasons is reminiscent of their Delhi Daredevils days. Despite making the last four three times in the first five IPL seasons (2008–2012), they had to wait until 2019 to qualify again.
DC made the playoffs three consecutive years between 2019 and 2021, but have faltered since then. Now, reports suggest that captain Axar Patel, along with the rest of the Delhi Capitals coaching staff, are set to lose their jobs before the start of IPL 2027.
In this article, we will take a look at the players who are most likely to be released by DC before IPL 2027.
Top 6 players likely to be released by Delhi Capitals before IPL 2027
1. Ben Duckett
Duckett’s release is no easy task. Ahead of IPL 2026, DC bought him for his base price of Rs 2 crore. But just before the season began, Duckett withdrew from playing in the County Championship in his home country of England to prioritize his Test career.
According to IPL rules, players who withdraw from the tournament after the auction will be banned for two years. Duckett’s withdrawal means he will now be banned from both IPL 2027 and 2028, in addition to not playing in 2026.
This year DC included leg spinner Rehan Ahmed in the team in place of Duckett.
2. Karun Nair
Nair has been an IPL stalwart with a career spanning almost 13 years and 86 matches. In 2025, he returned for his second stint in DC at a price of Rs 50 lakh.
In his first match in the IPL since 2022, he scored 89 runs in just 40 balls to put Delhi on track to chase the target of 206 against Mumbai Indians. DC, unfortunately, lost that day, but Nair was well and truly back.
Until he wasn’t. Karun Nair failed to repeat that performance in the remaining season. This year too, he has scored only 18 runs in 2 matches at a strike rate of just 100.
With Delhi Capitals having a glut of top-order options, Nair’s second chance at an IPL career could actually end this year.
3. Pathum Nissanka
There were high expectations from Pathum Nissanka after impressing for his country Sri Lanka over the past year, especially at the home T20 World Cup in March. But, he has not accomplished all of them.
DC bought him for Rs 4 crore, but Nissanka could not perform very well. He scored two fifties in 10 matches, but overall he has only 278 runs to his name. With a batting average of 28 and a strike rate of 158, Delhi Capitals will look to overtake him, especially with Prithvi Shaw, Nitish Rana and Abhishek Porel all competing for a spot at the top of the order.
4. Vipraraj Corporation
The UP leg spinner was bought by Delhi Capitals in 2025 for Rs 50 lakh. In his first IPL match, Nigam showcased his full hitting range as DC chased down 210 against Lucknow Super Giants with just one wicket remaining.
Last season he did well with his leg spin, but this year he has become completely blunt. In 5 matches, he has taken only 2 wickets at an average of 56.5 and economy rate of 12.55 runs per over.
With Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav and Rehan Ahmed available, DC are unlikely to hold on to the Corporation.
5. Kyle Jamieson
In the player auction, Delhi Capitals bought New Zealand fast bowler Kyle Jamieson for his base price of Rs 2 crore. DC will become the fourth team to sign him, and the third team to give him playing time in the IPL.
But, like Nigam, Jamieson has also been erratic and undone in this year’s IPL. He has taken only 2 wickets in 2 matches at an average of 45 and economy of 12.85.
Along with Mitchell Starc, Lungi Ngidi and Dushmantha Chameera, DC are likely to consider Jamieson surplus to requirements.
6. Sahil Parakh
With a total experience of only 2 T20 matches, the 18-year-old Maharashtra batsman was thrown out of the deep end by Delhi Capitals.
In his first IPL match, he was asked to take strike against the aggressive Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the powerplay. After this it became zero on two balls.
Parakh played one more match for DC this year, scoring 13 runs in a successful chase of 211 against Punjab Kings.
With Delhi almost out of the tournament, Parakh may get a match or two, but still, the top order in DC is extremely busy, so most likely Parakh is the first name on the chopping block.
Also Read: DC Playing XI vs RR – May 17, 2026 – Predicted Lineups & Team Analysis
