Auqib Is An Exciting Talent, And We Went All Out For Him : Delhi Capitals' Co-owner Parth Jindal

TATA IPL Auction 2026 proved pivotal for Delhi Capitals as they reinforced their squad with smart, needs-based picks. Speaking on ‘TATA IPL Auction Review’, JioStar experts Anil Kumble and Abhinav Mukund, along with Delhi Capitals' Co-owner Parth Jindal, praised DC’s targeted strategy and hailed Auqib Dar’s long-awaited break on the IPL stage. 

Speaking on ‘TATA IPL Auction Review’, JioStar expert Anil Kumble explained why the Delhi Capitals' auction strategy was effective: "Delhi Capitals have done very well. The question after a big auction is: did you strengthen the team or just change names? DC have strengthened it. Last season, Jake Fraser-McGurk and Faf du Plessis did not fire at the top. Now they have Pathum Nissanka, who is in top form for Sri Lanka, and they brought in the left-hander Ben Duckett. They also added support for Mitchell Starc; Natarajan did not play much last season, so they brought in Lungi Ngidi and a top domestic performer, Auqib Dar. To fix their finisher problem, they got David Miller, which is a good move. Prithvi Shaw is also back, so they have that option at the top of the innings."

On the acquisition of Nitish Rana he said, "Getting Nitish Rana before the auction was a good move. He is a home boy who understands the conditions, he's a left-hander, and he can bat at three or four. I think he will want to prove himself in Delhi. He has won with KKR, and Delhi has not won at all, so I am sure he would like to do that for his home team. Overall, they had a good auction. They have fortified their lineup, and from last season to this one, the team certainly looks stronger on paper."

Speaking on JioHotstar, Delhi Capitals' Co-owner Parth Jindal detailed how the team addressed key gaps at the auction: "We came into the auction with a clear plan and a wish list. We strengthened where we needed. We wanted an experienced finisher, and you cannot do better than David Miller. Getting him early at an incredible price was great. We are excited to have Tristan Stubbs and David Miller in the middle order, one is a young, upcoming player and the other is very experienced. We needed a good opening batter who can score quickly in the powerplay and Ben Duckett is perfect for that role. He has made a name for himself and even reverse sweeps in Test cricket. Another problem we had last season was not taking enough wickets in the powerplay. Often, Axar Patel or Vipraj Nigam had to bowl early because opposition teams got good starts. We needed someone who swings the ball and gets early breakthroughs and we found Auqib Dar as the perfect candidate to play that role and that's the reason why we tracked him throughout the entirety of the current domestic cricket season. He is an exciting talent, and we went all out for him. We are really happy to get a player from Jammu and Kashmir."

Speaking on ‘TATA IPL Auction Review’, JioStar expert Abhinav Mukund celebrated Auqib Dar’s long-awaited IPL opportunity: "I am very happy for Auqib Dar. He has played a long time for Jammu and Kashmir and finally gets a chance on this big stage. Delhi Capitals needed powerplay bowling options. Some people question his death bowling, but he will learn at a tough ground like Delhi. After last year's issues with Natarajan's injury, they went for multiple pacers. They needed someone to open the bowling with Mitchell Starc. That is the role they see for him at Delhi Capitals, which is a heartwarming story."