The Delhi Capitals have endured a miserable IPL 2026 under the leadership of captain Axar Patel. Only four wins and six losses in ten games leaves them with eight points and the franchise playing catch up to stay alive in the tournament and in the playoff hunt.
Starting the tournament with two wins in a row, Delhi quickly lost all momentum as they found their form with both the bat and the ball to be too inconsistent this year. Despite boasting experienced names such as KL Rahul, Tristan Stubbs, Mitchell Starc, Kuldeep Yadav and David Miller, the Capitals have been far too inconsistent to get anything meaningful out of their 2026 campaign.
With only four league matches left (barring the match against KKR), another defeat will severely damage Delhi's playoff chances.
3 Reasons Why Axar Patel Should Step Down as DC Captain
Poor Tactical Decisions
A large section of Axar Patel's performance has come under scrutiny this year for the questionable decisions made during games. Poor bowling changes, bad field placements and bizarre batting lineups were just some of the issues that arose over the season for Delhi Capitals' skipper.
A notable event came when Delhi leaked 242 runs against Sunrisers Hyderabad. Captaincy was again put into question after they could not defend their enormous score of 264 against Punjab Kings.
It has been his performances at the coin toss as well that has come under scrutiny, he opted to bat first against CSK which was the less favorable option in the context of the season, which has seen teams consistently falter after batting first and winning it in 2026.
Also Read | IPL Player’s Girlfriend Accused of Leaking Sensitive Team Information to Outsiders: Reports
Axar Patel's Poor Performance
In addition to his captaincy, the all-rounder himself has not performed according to expectations. He hasn't had the kind of contribution from the senior statesman he is supposed to make. He has taken only 9 wickets in 10 games and conceded 8.25 runs per over in the bowling department.
The former has been even more disappointing as the all-rounder has mustered a meager 33 runs from 10 games at an average of just 5.50 runs per game and a highest score of 26. From someone who is known for his explosiveness in the lower middle-order, the 29-year-old has not lived up to the expectations.
Delhi Capitals Struggles Persist
But it is not just his leadership that's being questioned but the overall results of the franchise also raise serious concerns over Axar Patel's leadership. Delhi has already lost 6 of their 10 games and if they are to secure a playoff spot, they would have to win all the remaining games.
The worry doesn't end here, considering how Delhi Capitals had already failed to qualify for the playoffs last season, when they ended up being the fifth in the points table. With consecutive seasons going downhill, it would not be a surprise if Delhi looks into changing their skipper at the next season and with the kind of seasoned players in the squad, Delhi might find themselves in a very difficult spot.
-
Double blow of pollution with rising mercury! How to get rid of respiratory disease and skin allergy? Expert advice
-
On Mother’s Day, give your mother these unique gifts of good health, which she might not have thought of!
-
How to keep basil healthy with banana peel
-
SIT filed charge sheet in the court in the case of attack on Farooq Abdullah, made many big revelations
-
Mango Sandwich Recipe: Make this quick and creamy mango sandwich in summer, note the method
