Aakash Chopra opens up on Delhi Capitals’ requirements at the IPL 2026 auction

Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra has opined that Delhi Capitals’ must sort out their opening pair conundrum in IPL 2026 auction. Chopra highlighted that DC used different opening partnerships in the previous season, which didn’t help them.

Delhi have decided to release Jake Fraser-McGurk after the Australian opener could not deliver in the last edition. The franchise had retained the right-handed batter through the Right to Match card for INR 9 crore. Delhi has a remaining purse of INR 21.80 crore and they would look to buy an opening batter in the upcoming mini-auction.

“Delhi released Jake Fraser-McGurk. He was very expensive. So releasing him was absolutely right. Delhi’s opening was a game of musical chairs – Abishek Porel, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Faf du Plessis, eventually KL Rahul, and I think Karun Nair may have opened once,” Chopra said on his YouTube Channel.

“They just tried everyone, and you felt why so many changes were required when they were doing so well. Now that you have released Jake, a lot of money gets released, you can quickly bring in an overseas opening batter because they don’t need Indians. It’s a very good Indian core,” he added.

Meanwhile, Delhi has a potent spin attack as they have spinners like Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel and Vipraj Nigam. However, Chopra urged the franchise to solve their opening woes before the next season.

“No one will have better spin bowling than them. So they are actually in a very good space. They need someone at the top so that the opening gets settled. If that is not settled, you will find yourself in trouble. They have let Faf du Plessis go. So they got ₹2 crore from there as well. They have money, and they don’t have to buy much,” he said. 

The former Delhi cricketer said DC can target players like Tim Seifert and Jamie Smith in the IPL auction.

“They can strengthen the overseas contingent a little more. They might not get Jonny Bairstow, even if they want, because Kolkata might want him, and some other team might also be thinking the same. They don’t have enough money to win that one-to-one battle. It could be Tim Seifert or Jamie Smith, or someone else,” Chopra observed.

The IPL 2026 auction will likely take place on December 15.