Delhi Capitals’ (DC) co-owner named an unexpected player to take the captaincy role in the upcoming edition of the IPL. After buying both KL Rahul and Faf du Plessis in the recently-concluded IPL auction, fans were speculating that either one of them would be given the captaincy role. However, Jindal pushed Indian all-rounder Axar Patel’s name for the role.
After failing to sign both Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer, DC acquired the services of KL Rahul for a fee of INR 14 crore before also bringing in senior South African cricketer and former Royal Challengers Bengaluru skipper Faf du Plessis for his base price of INR 2 crore.
When asked about the captaincy role, Jindal stated that Axar has spent a long time with the franchise and highlighted the all-rounder’s vice-captaincy role in the previous season, adding that the management will make the decision on the leadership role later.
Axar was DC’s top retention pick ahead of the IPL auction and the franchise gave him a fee of INR 18 crore to remain with the side for the next season. The all-rounder is also currently leading Gujarat in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
“It’s a bit premature to talk about the captaincy. Axar Patel has been with the franchise for a very long time and he was the vice-captain for the last cycle, so we don’t know whether it’s going to be Axar or whether it’s going be somebody else. A lot has to happen. I spoke to KL but haven’t met him yet. I know him very well personally, I will understand from him (what he thinks), and, it will boil down to what the coaching group and finally what Kiran (Grandhi, the co-owner) and I want to do. There’s a lot of time for that,” Jindal told ESPNCricinfo.
Jindal also stated that the franchise wanted to buy either one of Pant, Iyer and Rahul heading into the auction in Riyadh.
“Going into the auction, obviously we had a budget in mind for a marquee Indian batsman. Shreyas and Rishabh were coming out in the first set and KL was coming out in the second set. We were very clear that between the three of them, we needed to get one. So we went all the way for Shreyas. Frankly, it (Shreyas’ bid) went a bit too high and I think my reaction was very visible on the table (chuckles) – it (the bid) had crossed all budgets,” Jindal said.
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