IPL 2026 Auction: 5 Players Delhi Capitals Should Target to Fix Squad Gaps

IPL 2026 Auction: 5 Players Delhi Capitals Should Target to Strengthen Their Squad

The Delhi Capitals (DC) began their IPL 2025 season remarkably by winning four consecutive matches and it seemed that they were destined for their best season yet. However, as the season went on their momentum fizzled out and they only managed three more wins from their remaining matches to finish 5th on the table and just miss the playoffs.

As the IPL 2026 auction approaches, the franchise will be looking to address some of the long-since held weaknesses in their squad – notably top-order stability, all-rounder depth, and death bowling – and with ₹21.8 crore left in the auction purse DC have the budget for some smart, game-changing picks.

Here are the 5 players DC should target at the IPL 2026 auction.

Cameron Green

Cameron Green, the Aussie all-rounder, should be a hot pick at the 2026 auction. For Delhi Capitals, he’s more than just another overseas player. Green can steady the ship in the middle overs with his batting, take on spin bowlers, and chip in with a couple of good overs with the ball. This fixes a few problems Delhi had in the 2025 IPL season.

Having him and Tristan Stubbs in the lineup could make the middle order much more reliable and stop those collapses that kept hurting the team. Green’s strength, height, and cool head under pressure make him a valuable player in today’s T20 game. Getting him would really strengthen the core of the DC team.

Jonny Bairstow

The​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌ Capitals decided to let Faf du Plessis and Jake Fraser-McGurk go, so the team is missing a top-order batsman. A combination of experience, aggression, and wicketkeeping flexibility makes England’s Jonny Bairstow, one of the most destructive openers of this era, the perfect fit. Bairstow’s IPL performance record is very impressive 1,674 runs at a strike rate of 146.07, with two centuries— and his ability to dominate powerplay overs can not only set the tone for the game but also completely change Delhi’s approach to the first six.

Bairstow, in addition to the statistics, brings a fighting spirit and high-intensity drive, which are the characteristics that DC lacked after their early-season brilliance had faded. In a team that is in desperate need of a dependable, fearless opener, Bairstow is still the best ​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌option.

Andre Russell

Andre Russell is one of the few players in the history of T20 cricket who can change a game with one swing of the bat. A little past his peak, Russell is still a match-winner who can potentially change the match in the matter of a couple of deliveries. After a short beginning to his IPL journey in Delhi, he could provide valuable lower-order power hitting and also an extra bowling option from quicks.

Russell’s past history of closing out difficult matches and his ability to put the ball out of the stadium from ball one is what Delhi could use as finishing power, which they have lacked in the past. If Cameron Green proves too expensive, Russell would be, in many ways, the ideal power-hitting option who can win matches by himself if the conditions permit.

Rachin Ravindra

Rachin Ravindra didn’t get much of a chance to shine in the IPL in 2025, which is a shame because he’s shown he’s got real talent in T20 games on the international stage. He’s great because he can open, keep the score moving, speed things up in the middle overs, and even bowl left-arm spin. That’s a pretty unusual combo.

With Delhi keeping Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra is a good fit. He brings balance and can switch things up for a team that already relies a lot on spin, and he can also make their batting stronger. Plus, he’s good in the field, full of energy, and can adjust to different situations, which makes him ideal for a team that wants to build a strong, long-lasting foundation. If he costs around ₹5–7 crore, Ravindra would definitely be worth the money.

Matheesha Pathirana

It​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌ has been a matter of death overs with the Delhi Capitals for a long time, and Sri Lanka’s sling-arm superstar Matheesha Pathirana comes up with a different kind of answer. In spite of a slightly below-par 2025 season, Pathirana’s weird move, pace change, and yorker hitting capabilities are what make him a serious threat in the final overs a stage where Delhi have repeatedly conceeded losses.

By him with Mitchell Starc DC would get a fast-bowling duo that would be very effective even against the toughest batting lineups. Pathirana’s coming-from-nowhere and wicket-taking power makes him the perfect choice for a team that is on the lookout for a strong death-overs ​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌identity.

The Delhi Capitals have a good base, but they need some smart, strategic players to turn their potential into consistent wins. The players on this list, Green, Bairstow, Russell, Ravindra, and Pathirana are exactly what Delhi needs to fix the problems they had during the 2025 season.

With a good amount of money to spend at the auction and knowing exactly where they need to improve, DC is at a point where they can really change things. Their success in the 2026 IPL will mostly depend on whether they can get these players who can make a big impact in many ways during different parts of the game. If they can, they might finally make it to the playoffs.

Also Read: IPL 2026 Auction: CSK Target Players in Mini Auction