Delhi Capitals' all-time best released XI in IPL history

Delhi Capitals have been one of the most promising sides in the Indian Premier League (IPL). The team played with the name of the Daredevils until 2018 before changing their name last time around. Over the years, the team has boasted of some of the best players in the business and have also impressed.

However, the team have just not been able to go all the way through to glory. On a number of instances, they have finished at the bottom of the table, though last time they made the Qualifier 2.

Planning has been a major issue for the Delhi-team as they have let go a number of players, who could otherwise have wielded magic for them going forward. They have mostly failed to identify the players and have hardly showed faith in some for a significant amount of time.

In the article, let’s take a look at the best Delhi Capitals’ eleven from released players: –

1. David Warner (C)

David Warner is currently the leading run-scorer in the IPL, among foreign cricketers. Apart from the taking the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) to glory in 2016, he also has won the Orange Cap quite a few times. But there was a time when the left-hander used to play for the Capitals from 2008 to 2013.

In those years, he notched 10 half-centuries for them to go with a century against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). In 2013, Warner had his then best IPL season, scoring 410 runs. Once he went to the Sunrisers, there was no stopping him and he is currently one of the stalwarts of the Orange Army.

2. Virender Sehwag

Virender Sehwag was the fulcrum of the Capitals until the 2013 edition of the IPL. Having notched 15 half-centuries and a century for them, he had a wonderful time with them. But ahead of the 2014 season, the franchise released him off his services. Subsequently, Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) bought him.

In the very next season, the Nawab of Najafgarh smashed 122, his highest IPL score, against the Mumbai Indians (MI) at the Wankhede Stadium. In that season, he also scored 455 runs at a strike-rate of 144.44. In 2015, Sehwag managed 99 runs at 12.37 after which the Punjab team let him go.

3. AB de Villiers

AB de Villiers, ever since 2011, has been an indispensable member of the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). He along with Virat Kohli has shared numerous match-winning stands for his team. For the time being, it’s highly unlikely that the Pretoria-born would be turning out for any other side.

However, it was for the Daredevils that ABD plied his trade for three seasons from 2008 to 2011. Even as in 2008 and 2011, he didn’t have the best of outings, in 2009, the southpaw notched 465 runs in 15 matches at an average of 51.66 with a century against the Chennai Super Kings in Durban.

4. Dinesh Karthik (wk)

Dinesh Karthik is presently the proud captain of the Knight Riders after being picked by the franchise back in 2018. Over the course of his IPL career, the Tamil Nadu-born keeper has plied his trade for a number of sides, one of which was the Capitals, for whom he made his debut way back in 2008.

Though he disappointed a tad in the inaugural season, he started upping the ante from 2009 onwards. But ahead of the 2011 edition, the Capitals released him. Nevertheless, Karthik was back with the team in 2014, but yet another time after one season, the team didn’t persist with him.

5. Glenn Maxwell

Glenn Maxwell has had a topsy-turvy IPL career thus far. Barring the 2016 season where he churned out 552 runs with a top score of 95, the Victorian has blown hot and cold. In 2012, his IPL career kick-started after the Daredevils roped him in for an injured Travis Birt, but he got only two games.

In the next season, he was released and Mumbai Indians bought him. From 2014 to 2017, the right-hander played for the Kings XI Punjab. In 2018, he was back to the Daredevils and could only muster 169 runs from 12 matches at an average of 14.08. The Capitals released him before the 2019 season.

6. Andre Russell

Andre Russell is among the hardest hitters of the cricket leather. When he gets going, there are very few bowlers, who could stop him. He started his IPL career for the Capitals back in 2012 and only played seven matches in two seasons with a top score of 31. In 2014, KKR secured his services.

Even in 2014, the Jamaican played only a couple of matches. But from 2015 onwards, Dre-Russ started to stamp his authority in the T20 tournament. And in 2019, the West Indies batsman amassed 510 runs at a strike-rate of 204.81 with as many as 52 sixes to display his brute force.

7. Irfan Pathan

Irfan Pathan was never an outstanding player in the IPL, but he more or less chipped in with some handy performances until 2017. From 2011 to 2013, the Baroda southpaw got to represent the Capitals. In his first season for them, the left-hander scored 150 runs at 18.75 to go with 11 wickets.

In 2012, he flattered to deceive with the ball, picking up only eight wickets, though he scored 176 runs at an average of 25.14. In 2013, his performance saw a downward trend as he got only 142 runs and 10 wickets. From there onwards, Irfan fell off the radar after being released by the Capitals.

8. Shahbaz Nadeem

Shahbaz Nadeem may not have overly impressive numbers in the IPL. But the fact that he came up with useful shows now and then helped his sides. In 2012, the left-armer broke through into the T20 league for the Capitals and stayed with them until 2018, picking up 40 wickets un 61 matches.

In the very next auction, the team, led by Shreyas Iyer, let him go and he joined the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). To his agony, in his first season for the Orange Army, the tweaker played only three games and picked two wickets. In the same year, Nadeem made his debut for India though.

9. Navdeep Saini

Navdeep Saini is currently a part of the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) after being picked in 2018. Though he didn’t play in the initial season, he got a chance in the subsequent year and he didn’t disappoint. The speedster cranked up the pace and picked up 11 wickets at an economy of 8.27.

On the basis of performance, he made hid debut for India in the West Indies. Prior to that, he was also one of the back-up players for the 2019 World Cup. However, it was in 2017 when Saini’s name was involved in the IPL. Saini was a part of the Daredevils, though he had to warm the benches.

10. Umesh Yadav

Umesh Yadav is presently with the Challengers and have played for them for a couple of seasons. Prior to that, the Vidarbha pacer plied his trade for the Knight Riders. However, he started his journey in the T20 tournament while playing for the Delhi Capitals way back in the 2010 edition.

He impressed one and all with his pace and broke into the Indian team as well. He was there with the franchise until 2013. In the first two seasons, Umesh managed only eight wickets from 14 matches. But in 2012, the pacer nipped out 19 wickets after which his career in the IPL took off.

11. Ashish Nehra

Ashish Nehra had plenty of talent owing to his wicket-taking abilities, but he could hardly stick to a single IPL team due to his inconsistent performances. In 88 matches, the former Indian seamer picked up 106 wickets. He made his IPL debut for Mumbai Indians before moving to the Capitals.

In 2009, he got 19 wickets from 13 matches, but disappointed next time around. Subsequently, the team released him and he went to the Pune Warriors India. However, in 2013, the left-armer was again back to Capitals where he picked 11 wickets from 10 games, though at an economy of 8.77.