5 Players DC Must Release Before IPL 2026

Delhi Capitals (DC) have gone through two halves in the 2025 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). They started with four successive wins before getting to six victories in the first eight encounter.

However, since then, they have only failed, and their home ground, the Arun Jaitley Stadium, hasn’t been a happy hunting ground.

Delhi, including their previous defeat against the Gujarat Titans where the Axar Patel-led side failed to pick up a single wicket in the 200-run chase, has now gone five games without a win.

They are currently at the fifth position in the position with six victories in 12 group-stage encounters at a net run rate of +0.260. Their upcoming encounter against the Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium will be a do-or-die clash.

Meanwhile, a few of their retained players have not gone as planned, and it will be important for the DC side to release them before the next season.

Here are the five players DC must release before the IPL 2026

1. Jake Fraser McGurk

DC retained the brute and young opening brute opening batter, Jake Fraser McGurk, for a price of INR 9 crore. In the last season, the right-handed batter was free and didn’t feel any pressure of expectation of scoring runs, and ended with 330 runs in nine innings at a strike rate of 234.04, thanks to four half-centuries.

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However, the equation has gone the opposite way for this year with JFM managing only 55 runs in six innings at an average of 9.16 and a strike rate of 105.76, with the best score of 38 runs.

Most of the opponent sides have cracked the code to dismiss the batter, and that would be challenging for the Australian batter. Leaving him will increase the capital, and Delhi can get him back for a lower price.

2. Mukesh Kumar

The Indian pacer, Mukesh Kumar, hasn’t been decent enough in the IPL 2025. He has collected nine wickets in 10 innings at an average of nearly 35 and a strike rate of 21 with an economy rate of just below 10 at the best bowling figure of 4/33 in an innings.

Mukesh’s ability with the new ball to pick wickets has gone down this year, while his pace isn’t enough to contain the runs in the death overs. Leaving him out before the new season will add INR 8 crore for DC.

3. Mohit Sharma

Delhi is playing half of their event at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, where the bowlers have not enjoyed much of their time. Any pacer, missing an inch here and there, can fly around the park on this ground. And Mohit Sharma went through the same in IPL 2025.

The DC pacer featured in seven group-stage games to pick up two wickets at an economy rate of 10 and an average of 105. Most of the batters have successfully read his slower balls, and free him will add a few dollars in the purse.

4. Harry Brook

The England white-ball captain won’t be available for the next two seasons of the league, after he pulled out at the eleventh hour due to managing his workload.

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Releasing the right-handed batter will add INR 6.25 crore to the bag for the DC franchise.

5. T Natarajan

It will be a gamble for the Capitals to leave T Natarajan for the new season in the auction. They bought the left-arm pacer for INR 10.75 crore and if things got to plan, they can rebuy him for a little low price, which will be a win for them.

In the two games he played for DC in 2025, Natarajan leaked 49 runs in three overs at an economy rate of over 16. He hasn't spent much time impressing the management.