‘Players Get Selected In IPL From Here’: DDCA Director Manjit Singh On How Delhi Premier League Is Transforming Young Careers News24 –
The Delhi Premier League has emerged as one of the most exciting and talent-rich domestic T20 leagues in India. Started in 2024, DPL was a brainchild of Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA) and it was launched with the aim of providing young cricketers a platform to display their talent.
Speaking to News24 in an exclusive interview, DDCA director Manjit Singh lauded the efforts of Rohan Jaitley – the president of Delhi & District Cricket Association and a key architect behind the league’s foundation.
“Rohan Jaitley has been instrumental in turning the vision of Delhi Premier League into reality. All the planning was done by him, a proper plan was laid out to give youngsters a platform to perform and shine.” said Manjit Singh
The league, currently in its 2nd edition, features a mix of seasoned professionals and emerging stars. It follows a franchise model similar to the IPL, and matches are conducted with high broadcast quality, digital streaming, and extensive media coverage all of which have contributed to its growing popularity.
“There were a lot of players who used to play but couldn’t come in the spotlight, but now with the introduction of DPL, all the players get chances and have the opportunity to showcase their talent on a bigger platform.”
One of the league’s biggest successes has been its role in producing IPL-level talent. Players like Digvesh Rathi and Priyansh Arya rose to prominence through DPL and were later scouted for the Indian Premier League, making headlines with their performances on the national stage.
“Players get selected in IPL from here, we have Digvesh Rathi, Priyansh Arya who achieved massive success in this edition of Indian Premier League. They were hunted by scouts through DPL and then the world has seen them shine now.” the DDCA director added
“This year also the batters are doing exceptionally well and we are hopeful that 4-5 of them can be picked for the IPL.”
This season, the league has seen further expansion with the addition of two new teams, increasing the number of available spots for young aspirants. It’s not just about numbers, the quality of cricket has also gone up significantly. There are eight teams in total namely – Purani Dilli 6, North Delhi Strikers, South Delhi Superstarz, East Delhi Riders, West Delhi Lions, Central Delhi Kings, New Delhi Tigers and Outer Delhi Warriors.
“Last year was a success but this year we aim to go even bigger. The addition of two more teams has provided more spots for youngsters.” Manjit Singh mentioned
The 2025 edition of the DPL has attracted a star-studded line-up, including players like Nitish Rana, Harshit Rana, Lalit Yadav, Priyansh Arya and Digvesh Rathi, coming off fresh from their 2025 IPL season. Their participation is expected to elevate the competition and draw more fans to the league.
“We have big names playing – Nitish Rana, Priyansh Arya, Harshit Rana, Digvesh Rathi, Lalit Yadav and many more. All these players are coming fresh from IPL and T20 is a format which has always attracted a lot of youngsters. People want to see them playing, these players have a huge fan base on the basis of strong performances they have delivered.”
The league’s popularity isn’t just limited to television or digital platforms, it has seen record-breaking crowd attendance, with last year’s final attracting over 22,000 spectators at the stadium, a record for any Indian state-level league.
“We expect even more viewership now, last year we had 22,000 people watching the final in the stadium, which is also a record in itself for any state league.” he concluded