The ownership of the Delhi Capitals (DC) has yet again hit the headlines amid the team’s poor performance in the ongoing Indian Premier League 2026 (IPL 2026). The franchise is currently co-owned by the GMR Group and JSW Sports, and they are reportedly not on the same page presently.
Despite their three-wicket win over the Punjab Kings, the seventh-place Delhi Capitals do not have any realistic chances to make it to the IPL 2026 playoffs. They have two more league games left, but even if they win both, their tally would be 14 on the table, and that won’t be enough for playoff chances.
Delhi Capitals hit by fresh ownership tension amid poor IPL 2026 campaign
Since 2021, Delhi has struggled to make an impact in the IPL and failed to make it to the playoffs. DC finished fifth in 2022, slipped badly to ninth place in 2023, ended sixth in 2024, and could only manage fifth place in the 2025 edition. Now, they are all but out of the playoff race.
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Amid the continuous struggles in the Indian Premier League over the years, a change in the current system was proposed by the GMR Group. Presently, GMR Group and JSW Sports run the Delhi Capitals franchise in turns for two years each.
But recently, GMR Group reportedly suggested extending the management period to three years, like the IPL mega auction cycle, which also works in a three-year pattern. This would help them to continue with their plans, and that may help them to perform consistently in the league.
GMR Group and JSW Sports reportedly clash over Delhi Capitals management plans
However, CricBlogger has now claimed that JSW Sports is not ready to agree to GMR Group’s proposal at this stage, which might create a rift between the co-owners of the DC side.
Since it is now JSW Sports’ turn to handle the DC franchise for the next phase, they first want to take full control of operations before making any long-term decision on the new proposal. This disagreement has now created uncertainty around the franchise and its planning.
If one group works with a different vision and the other takes over midway, it could affect the franchise’s stability. GMR Group and many feel this back-and-forth system is one of the main reasons why the Delhi Capitals have struggled to stay consistent over the years.
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Unlike some other IPL teams, where owners work together with one clear plan, the Capitals have different management styles and separate ideas around team building and long-term planning. And that’s one of the key reasons that they have not yet won the title despite being one of the original IPL franchises.
DC owners maintain silence as uncertainty grows
Now, the internal issues could hurt the franchise even before the next season. At the moment, neither GMR nor JSW Sports has made any official statement on the matter.
But the discussion around the franchise’s future management is already hitting the headlines, and it will be interesting to see whether both sides can find a common solution before the mega auction in 2027.
The DC will next take on the Rajasthan Royals on May 17 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi in IPL 2026.
