New Delhi: 24 November 2024, The Delhi Capitals, co-owned by JSW and GMR, made two major acquisitions on the first half of Day 1 of the IPL 2025 Mega Auction in Jeddah. Australia’s Mitchell Starc was secured for ₹11.75 crore, while India’s wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul was purchased for ₹14 crore.
Reflecting on the acquisitions, Delhi Capitals Head Coach Hemang Badani said, “We’re really pleased with the buys. Both KL Rahul and Mitchell Starc are world-class players. It’s interesting that they’re currently competing against each other in the India vs Australia series.”
“Starc is a match-winner, a wicket-taker, and we couldn’t be happier to have him. As for KL Rahul, he’s someone we believe is a reliable player, always delivers runs every season. He’s been consistent in the IPL. For me, right now, this is the best buy of the auction. However, there’s still work to be done,” he added.
Reflecting on the first session of the mega auction, Badani said, “The energy has been perfect. We’ve been patient, disciplined, and mindful of our spending. We’ve stuck to the numbers we had in mind and have a clear strategy for the auction. So far, we’re seeing the benefits of being well-planned and well-strategized.”
Delhi Capitals’ first purchase in the mega auction was Australia’s Mitchell Starc, who was secured for ₹11.75 crore. The left-arm pacer played a key role in Kolkata Knight Riders’ IPL 2024 victory. With 193 wickets from 142 T20 matches, Starc brings significant experience to the team.
KL Rahul, bought for ₹14 crore, is a seasoned IPL player and has been representing India in all three formats of international cricket. In his T20 career, the wicketkeeper-batter has scored 7,586 runs in 226 matches, including 65 fifties and six hundreds. He also won the Orange Cap in IPL 2020.
Players acquired on Day 1 of the IPL 2025 Mega Auction: Mitchell Starc, KL Rahul
Delhi Capitals retained players: Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Tristan Stubbs, and Abishek Porel
Delhi Capitals compete in both the Indian Premier League (IPL) and the Women’s Premier League (WPL). Co-owned by the GMR Group and the JSW Group, the franchise was established in 2008 as Delhi Daredevils before rebranding in 2019. In 2020, the team reached its first-ever final. In 2023, Delhi Capitals became one of the five founding teams of the Women’s Premier League, reaching the final in both the inaugural and second editions, finishing as runners-up each time.
