Axar Patel Out? Players To Be Released By Delhi Capitals Before IPL 2027
On Sunday evening in Kolkata, the Delhi Capitals will once again bring down the curtain on an IPL campaign without securing a coveted playoff berth. Their fate was officially sealed on the penultimate day of the league phase, following the Punjab Kings’ away victory over the Lucknow Super Giants. Despite entering the cycle with a highly promising squad assembled during the auction, a toxic mix of persistent player underperformances and questionable tactical decisions left the Capitals unable to build any momentum. Their home record was particularly disappointing, losing five of their seven matches at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, including a shocking defeat after putting up a massive 264 runs on the board in the first innings.
As they head into their final league match of the season against the Kolkata Knight Riders at the iconic Eden Gardens, the Delhi Capitals find themselves in a middling position with 12 points from 13 matches (6 wins and 7 losses). They sit in 12th place on the points table, and while a consolation victory could mathematically propel them as high as fifth place—contingent on the Rajasthan Royals losing to the Mumbai Indians—it does little to mask a season that demands deep introspection. With the focus already shifting to the future, speculation is rife. While fans ask Axar Patel Out? Players To Be Released By Delhi Capitals Before IPL 2027 have become the primary focus for a management desperate to free up purse space and rebuild. Let’s analyze the three most likely players to be released before the IPL 2027 auction.
1. Karun Nair
First on the chopping block is the experienced domestic campaigner, Karun Nair. Signed by Delhi Capitals at his base price of INR 50 Lakhs during the IPL 2025 mega auction on the back of impressive domestic performances, Nair’s return to the big stage started with immense promise. He played a scintillating knock of 89 off just 40 deliveries against the Mumbai Indians, boldly taking on the formidable Jasprit Bumrah.
However, that single highlight has not translated into long-term consistency. Over 10 innings across the IPL 2025 and IPL 2026 seasons, Nair has managed a modest 216 runs. While his strike rate of 175.60 remains impressive, his average of 21.60 and the lack of other fifty-plus scores have held him back. Having featured only twice before the final match of the IPL 2026 season, and with alternative domestic batting options like Sameer Rizvi, Sahil Parakh, Abishek Porel, and Nitish Rana capable of batting at number three, releasing Karun Nair is a logical decision. Doing so will immediately free up INR 50 Lakhs in DC’s auction purse.
2. T Natarajan
Another high-profile name facing a potential exit is T Natarajan. Once heralded as one of India’s premier death-bowling specialists during his breakthrough seasons with the Sunrisers Hyderabad, Natarajan’s career has unfortunately been plagued by recurring injuries. Although the Delhi Capitals management backed him heading into the IPL 2026 season despite fitness concerns in IPL 2025, the investment has not paid off.
At 35 years of age, the left-arm pacer has struggled significantly. In his 10 appearances during IPL 2026, he managed to scalp only 5 wickets while shipping runs at an alarming economy rate of 11.18. Tellingly, three of those five wickets came in a single outing against the Lucknow Super Giants (where he registered figures of 3/29), meaning he went largely ineffective in his other nine matches. Parting ways with Natarajan before the IPL 2027 season will allow the franchise to reclaim a whopping INR 10.75 crore, a massive sum that could be reinvested in younger, high-impact fast bowlers.
3. Mukesh Kumar
The final primary candidate for release is opening bowler Mukesh Kumar. Historically, Mukesh has been a reliable asset for Delhi, serving as the team’s third-highest wicket-taker over the last two seasons with 18 wickets in 22 matches. When on song, his disciplined Test-match lines and lengths can disrupt the best of top orders. However, his lack of consistency and high scoring rate have become significant liabilities.
Since the commencement of IPL 2025, Mukesh has registered an expensive overall economy rate of 10.74. In IPL 2026, his struggles worsened, picking up just 6 wickets in 10 innings at a costly economy rate of 11.26. For a frontline strike bowler, conceding over 11 runs an over is unsustainable, especially with the emergence of alternative bowling options like Auqib Nabi in the squad. By releasing Mukesh Kumar, the Capitals will free up an additional INR 8 crore.
Rebuilding the Purse for IPL 2027
By executing these strategic roster changes, the Delhi Capitals stand to free up a grand total of INR 19.25 crore in their purse ahead of the IPL 2027 auction. While headline-grabbing rumors about marquee stars will continue to circulate, the cold, hard data suggests that moving on from underperforming assets like Karun Nair, T Natarajan, and Mukesh Kumar is the most logical route forward. This substantial financial flexibility will be crucial as the franchise looks to reconstruct a balanced, competitive squad capable of finally breaking their playoff drought and challenging for the IPL title in 2027.
