KL Rahul and R Ashwin [Source: AFP]Former Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has supported KL Rahul as the next captain of Delhi Capitals (DC). Notably, his comments came shortly after a major player trade between Delhi Capitals and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) was officially confirmed by the IPL on Tuesday morning.As part of the trade, Rishabh Pant moved to Delhi Capitals for ₹15 crore, while Kuldeep Yadav joined LSG for ₹13.5 crore. Although the transfer attracted a lot of attention, Ashwin believes Delhi Capitals should focus on making KL Rahul their captain for the upcoming IPL season.Why Ashwin Prefers KL Rahul Over Axar Patel?According to Ashwin, Delhi Capitals had a disappointing IPL 2026 campaign under Axar Patel’s leadership. Therefore, he feels the franchise should make a change and hand over the captaincy to Rahul.Speaking about the issue, Ashwin on his youtube channel said:“DC had a very ordinary 2026 season, where they made mistakes after mistakes. Yet, they still ended up in a decent place. There was no need for them to make any change. If you just picked the proper side and have KL Rahul captain, the side would have been in a good place next year because Axar Patel was very average as captain this year. I really don’t understand why they let go of Kuldeep Yadav.”Furthermore, Ashwin questioned Delhi Capitals’ decision to release Kuldeep Yadav, who has been one of India’s leading spinners in recent years.Also Read: KL Rahul vs Rishabh Pant: IPL Captaincy Stats ComparisonR Ashwin Believes LSG Won The DealIn Ashwin’s view, LSG have gained more from this trade. He pointed out that LSG now have extra money available for the IPL 2027 auction and have also added a quality Indian spinner to their squad.Meanwhile, Pant joined Delhi Capitals for a reduced salary of ₹15 crore, compared to his previous valuation of ₹27 crore. On the other hand, Kuldeep’s deal was valued at ₹13.5 crore.Explaining his opinion, Ashwin said:“LSG has won the trade because they have 13 crores entering the auction, and they now have an Indian frontline spinner. On the contrary, DC has to now decide where Rishabh bats and what his role will be.Personally, I feel he should open for whatever team he plays in or bat in the end overs. He should not bat in the middle overs. DC has to be very wise because if you don't use Rishabh, the batter, properly, it will be difficult to get the best out of him and the team,” Ashwin concluded.Rishabh Pant And Kuldeep Struggled In IPL 2026It is important to note that both Rishabh Pant and Kuldeep Yadav had difficult IPL 2026 seasons. Kuldeep managed only 10 wickets in 12 matches, while Pant scored 312 runs at a strike rate of 138.05 and registered just one half-century.Moreover, Pant’s two-year spell at LSG was far from impressive. He scored 269 runs in one season and 312 in the next. His captaincy record was also disappointing, as Lucknow finished seventh and tenth in the league during his tenure.Despite a poor 2026 season, Kuldeep joins LSG after enjoying a successful stint with Delhi Capitals. During his time with the franchise, he picked up 72 wickets in 65 matches and maintained an economy rate of 8.24.Meanwhile, Pant returns to Delhi Capitals hoping to revive his form and make a bigger impact. Interestingly, he becomes the second high-profile player after Ravindra Jadeja to accept a pay cut as part of a recent IPL trade.Also Read: R Ashwin Denies Playing With Haris Rauf In MLC 2026
