Delhi Capitals head coach Hemang Badani has explained the rationale behind the team’s decision to part ways with Faf du Plessis and Jake Fraser-McGurk ahead of IPL 2026 auction. The former South African captain had moved from RCB to DC after being bought by the latter in the mega auction. Meanwhile, the explosive Australian opener, who was retained by the side ahead of IPL 2025, failed to justify his hefty Rs 9 crore price tag and hence was released.
Why did DC release Faf du Plessis?
Speaking on JioHotstar, the DC head coach explained that the team felt that it was the need of the hour to look for a younger player in place of du Plessis. Heaping praise on the former South African cricketer for his stellar run in the IPL, Badani stated that it was a tough decision to release him but the team needed a younger batter who could be more aggressive at the top of the order. DC managed to get a steal deal by buying du Plessis in the mega auction following which he was named vice-captain as well. While he did miss some games due to injury, the veteran managed to amass 202 runs from 9 matches.
“It’s never easy to release a player of Faf du Plessis’ caliber. Letting him go was a really tough decision because he has been a stellar performer in the IPL for many years. But we felt it was time to move towards a younger option, someone who could bring a more aggressive style that fits the brand of cricket we want to play,” the DC head coach said.
No value from investment on JFM
After a whirlwind season in 2024, McGurk managed to score just 55 runs from 6 matches in IPL 2025, averaging a miserable 9.16. While DC do have the option of buying back the Australian opener for a cheaper price in the IPL 2026 auction, head coach Badani said that the team felt that it was best for the franchise to let go of the out-of-form opener.
“With Jake Fraser-McGurk, we backed him based how he performed last season, but at nine crore, we didn’t feel we got enough value from that investment. So, we felt it was best to let him go as well. Overall, we are quite pleased with the squad we have right now,” Badani added.
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