"I think David Warner is done" - Aakash Chopra on players Delhi Capitals should retain ahead of IPL 2025 auction
Aakash Chopra has named a few players the Delhi Capitals (DC) should retain ahead of the IPL 2025 auction. He reckons David Warner might not be one of the players they would be keen to hold on to.
With 14 points from as many games, DC finished sixth in IPL 2024. Warner, who was laid low by a finger injury, aggregated 168 runs at an underwhelming average of 21.00 in eight games in the recently concluded season.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra opined that the Delhi Capitals might not want to retain Warner, Mitchell Marsh and Jhye Richardson among their Australian contingent.
"The Australian investment is not working, whether it is David Warner or Mitchell Marsh. I don't remember a single season Mitchell Marsh played fully and did well. He can do well but doesn't play a full season. I think David Warner is done. You might not want to retain him. Forget Jhye Richardson, he won't even come into their thoughts," he elaborated (6:35).
The former India opener picked Rishabh Pant and Jake Fraser-McGurk as the IPL 2020 finalists' first two retentions.
"Rishabh Pant as the first retention because you want to retain the captain in any case. You won't get anyone like Rishabh Pant again. So you will want to keep Rishabh Pant. You will want to retain Jake Fraser-McGurk. You want to go with him because of the way he bats," Chopra reasoned.
With 446 runs at a strike rate of 155.40 in 13 innings, Pant was the Delhi Capitals' highest run-scorer in IPL 2024. Fraser-McGurk smashed 330 runs at an outstanding strike rate of 234.04 in nine games.
"Retain both Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel" - Aakash Chopra on the Delhi Capitals' other potential retentions
![Kuldeep Yadav was the Delhi Capitals' most successful spinner in IPL 2024. [P/C: iplt20.com]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/05/4ffb8-17170410488733-1920.jpg?w=500)
Aakash Chopra chose Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel as the other two players the Delhi Capitals should retain.
"Retain both Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel. You should 100% retain these four - Rishabh Pant, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel. You won't also get anyone like Kuldeep Yadav again. You can use Axar Patel very well and you did that this time, let's be fair, and you won't get anyone like Axar Patel also again," he said (7:55).
The reputed commentator named Tristan Stubbs and Khaleel Ahmed as the other players DC should either retain or reacquire through the 'Right to Match' option.
"I will think about Tristan Stubbs as my fifth player because he is batting at a very tough number. So you can keep him with you with the 'Right to Match' card, and last but not the least, Khaleel Ahmed. I will definitely want to retain Khaleel Ahmed, that, if possible, I can get him through the 'Right to Match' card," Chopra stated.
Stubbs amassed 378 runs at a strike rate of 190.90 in 13 innings in IPL 2024. With 17 wickets in 14 games, Khaleel was the Capitals' joint-highest wicket-taker, along with Mukesh Kumar.