The IPL 2026 retention list has been completed and the major inquiry is, who will Delhi Capitals acquire in the following mini-auction? The team needs to undergo reconstruction, and surely there must be ongoing talks regarding the DC target players who might be engaged in the strengthening of the squad for the upcoming season.
Prior to the auction, Delhi Capitals swapped Donovan Ferreira with Rajasthan Royals and acquired Nitish Rana in return. The DC released players list includes Faf du Plessis, Donovan Ferreira, Sediqullah Atal, Darshan Nalkande, Manvanth Kumar, Mohit Sharma, and Jake Fraser-McGurk.
Delhi Capitals will go to the IPL 2026 auction with a spending limit of INR 21.8 crore and two remaining players to choose. With that in mind, let’s consider five cricket players who could have the DC IPL 2026 auction targets list among them.
Finn Allen
Finn Allen might be one of the players in the Delhi Capitals target players list for the IPL 2026 auction. With the dropping of Faf du Plessis and Jake Fraser-McGurk, among the top-order batters for IPL 2025, DC will want a player and that player could be Finn Allen on the list of DC IPL 2026 auction.
The conditions at the Arun Jaitley Stadium are batter-friendly and a player like Finn Allen can be a game-changer in the early overs. Additionally, shorter boundaries mean that having a player of his caliber would be a plus for the batting team.
Liam Livingstone
The only dependable all-rounder in the squad of DC is Axar Patel. It would be fascinating to see who will the Delhi Capitals acquire in the IPL 2026 auction to reinforce that section. Liam Livingstone is one player who could be a good fit for the DC squad.
In 2025, he did not have the best season with RCB but still remains one of the most powerful hitters by far and also a capable spinner. Besides, the attractive west of the Arun Jaitley Stadium might work in his favor and his attacking batting style could prove to be a real boon for the Delhi Capitals in the middle order.
Jordan Cox
The domestic league that led to his name being listed was Jordan Cox. The English batter was highly successful in the T20 Blast and The Hundred this year. He played mostly at the No.3 position and his strike rate was 165.21 in the T20 Blast and 173.93 in The Hundred.
If Delhi Capitals opt for two Indian openers, Jordan Cox becomes a very attractive option. His recent T20 scoring could place him among the auction targets of the DC.
Prithvi Shaw
Delhi Capitals experimented too much in the opening pairing during the IPL 2025. One of the reasons for their not-so-good second half was that their leading batters didn’t take advantage of the flow. For sure one area that they will be working on will be an aggressive top-order Indian batter. They have Indian players but none who can rule over the powerplay.
Among the players expected to be auctioned is Prithvi Shaw. After being unsold in the last auction, this could be the moment for him to bounce back. He has been consistent in domestic cricket, and since he has been a part of the franchise already, he might just be one of the DC IPL 2026 auction targets again.
Kuldeep Sen
Punjab Kings parted ways with Kuldeep Sen on the day of the retention deadline. Thus, the right-arm fast bowler has become one of the players eligible for the 2026 IPL draft.
Delhi Capitals have retained Mukesh Kumar and T Natarajan for the next season but will most likely be in the pursuit of a back-up Indian pacer, particularly for T Natarajan who has been prone to injuries. That said, Kuldeep Sen might find himself on the list of the pacers who can be targeted by Delhi Capitals.
