Delhi Capitals: History, Home Ground and Profile of the IPL Franchise

Delhi Capitals, known as DC, represent India’s national capital in the Indian Premier League. The franchise was one of the original eight in 2008 and played for its first eleven seasons as Delhi Daredevils, before a rebrand in 2019 gave the club its current name and a new visual identity in blue and red.

From Daredevils to Capitals

The Delhi franchise was acquired in the 2008 auction by the GMR Group, and in 2018 the JSW Group, led by the Jindal family, became a co-owner. Ahead of the 2019 season the team announced that it would be known as Delhi Capitals, a name chosen to reflect the city’s status as the seat of national government. The change coincided with a push towards developing young Indian talent and a more structured approach to scouting and squad building.

Home ground

The team plays at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, previously known as the Feroz Shah Kotla ground. The venue was renamed in 2019 in honour of Arun Jaitley, a former finance minister and long-serving cricket administrator. It is one of the oldest international grounds in India and has a long history of Test and one-day matches. Pitches at the ground have often been slow and low, which can reward spin bowling and make big scores harder to obtain than at some other IPL venues.

Results and notable seasons

As of the end of the 2024 season, Delhi Capitals had not won the IPL title. They reached the final for the first time in 2020, a season played in the United Arab Emirates because of the pandemic, where they lost to Mumbai Indians. The team also reached the playoffs in 2019 and 2021. In the early seasons as Daredevils the team had several strong squads, with high-profile batters, but struggled to turn them into trophies.

Player development

Delhi has long been a major source of talent for Indian cricket, and the franchise has made use of the city’s strong domestic pool. Many players who rose through Delhi’s age-group teams have appeared in the IPL, and the club has placed considerable emphasis on youth and on mixing experienced overseas players with local players.

Women’s team

The franchise also has a team in the Women’s Premier League, launched in 2023, which reached the final of the first two editions. This gives the Capitals brand a presence in both men’s and women’s franchise cricket.