DC vs PBSK: Mitchell Starc Rejoins Delhi Capitals Camp, Return Against Punjab Kings Unlikely

Australian pace spearhead Mitchell Starc has linked up with the Delhi Capitals squad ahead of IPL 2026, giving the franchise a significant morale boost though the 36-year-old is unlikely to take the field when DC host Punjab Kings in Match 35 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on Saturday (April 25).

Delhi Capitals confirmed Starc’s arrival at camp via social media, but sources indicate his actual playing return is being targeted for DC’s fixture against Rajasthan Royals on May 1, as the team manages his workload carefully.

Starc has been out of action since late January, sidelined by a left shoulder and elbow injury sustained while attempting a catch in a Big Bash League match against the Perth Scorchers his last competitive appearance. The injury came on the back of an exhausting Ashes campaign in which he was named Player of the Series, claiming 31 wickets at an average of 19.93 across five Tests, bowling in excess of 150 overs. He subsequently appeared in five BBL matches for the Sydney Sixers before the injury halted his season.

Although Starc took a rest period in February, recurring discomfort when he resumed bowling pushed his IPL entry further back than initially anticipated.

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His return could not come at a better time for a Delhi Capitals side currently sitting sixth on the IPL 2026 points table, with the team in need of the firepower a fit Starc brings to any bowling attack.

Delhi Capitals Full Squad: KL Rahul (wk), Prithvi Shaw, Abishek Porel, Axar Patel (c), Tristan Stubbs, Ashutosh Sharma, David Miller, Vipraj Nigam, Dushmantha Chameera, Kyle Jamieson, T. Natarajan, Lungi Ngidi, Mukesh Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav, Nitish Rana, Karun Nair, Pathum Nissanka, Sahil Parakh, Sameer Rizvi, Madhav Tiwari, Auqib Nabi Dar, Tripurana Vijay, Ajay Jadav Mandal, Mitchell Starc.