IPL Play of the Day: Axar Patel's captaincy disaster class costs DC 2 points vs CSK

With rain hovering over Delhi, Axar Patel gambled on a few bold calls that ultimately backfired as Delhi Capitals slumped to an eight-wicket defeat against CSK at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on the night of April 5 in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026.

The first gamble came at the toss. Axar chose to bat first on a surface that looked slightly slow, expecting it to get tougher later in the night. But with the average first-innings score at the venue usually around 170-180, DC’s 156 never quite felt enough.

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Head coach Hemang Badani admitted as much during the chase, pointing out that while the pitch may have been tricky, the total on the board simply wasn’t enough to apply pressure.

“It looked like a pitch which would get worse as the game progressed, but I think the runs that we put on weren't enough. I mean, I would imagine if we still can make a game of this, but you would imagine, or you would rather want to have at least about 175 on the board,” Badani told JioStar during the chase.

Axar himself admitted after the match that Delhi Capitals were at least 10 to 15 runs short. In a format where games are often decided by fine margins, that deficit ended up proving costly.

And while the toss call can still be debated, the bigger headache remains Delhi’s batting order — a puzzle that nobody in the camp seems to have solved yet. The middle order has looked shaky for most of the season, but the combinations keep changing without really fixing the problem. Against CSK, the same script played out again, leaving DC looking like a team still searching for answers halfway through the season.

BATTING LINE-UP HOWLER

The warning signs were already there in DC’s previous game against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, where the batting lineup folded far too easily. In fact, Abhishek Porel’s scratchy little 30 was the only thing standing between Delhi and a full-blown batting horror show. Yet somehow, despite being one of the few batters who showed fight that night, Porel has not featured in the XI since. That decision only looks stranger with every passing defeat.

Instead, DC have continued to persist with Karun Nair at No. 3. Experience may have played a part in that decision, but the returns haven’t really justified the faith. Against CSK, the innings once again felt stuck in traffic. At a stage where Delhi desperately needed someone to keep the scoreboard moving, Nair struggled to rotate strike or find boundaries consistently, slowing the innings down just when acceleration was needed most.

In contrast, Sameer Rizvi, one of the brighter prospects in the squad, was once again held back and introduced late as an impact substitute. The decision to delay his entry became even more questionable given the nature of the pitch. With the surface offering grip and assistance to spinners, CSK’s attack was always going to rely heavily on their slow bowlers. Rizvi, with his stronger record against spin and ability to accelerate, seemed better suited for those conditions.

That mismatch between strategy and conditions was evident on the field. Nair’s inability to counter spin allowed CSK to tighten their grip, while Rizvi, when he finally arrived, showed far more intent. His unbeaten 40 off 24 deliveries, alongside contributions from Tristan Stubbs and Ashutosh Sharma, helped Delhi recover somewhat and reach a total that at least gave their bowlers something to defend.

However, the late surge only covered up the bigger problems underneath. Once again, Delhi were left trying to repair an innings instead of building one properly. It has become a familiar story this season, a decent start followed by a middle-order wobble and decisions that feel more reactive than planned.

IS CAPTAINCY TAKING A TOLL ON AXAR?

In a game that was supposed to be a batting festival, Delhi’s flat performance inevitably pushed the spotlight onto Axar Patel and his captaincy. When things go wrong this often, the captain usually becomes the face of the confusion, and right now, Axar seems to be carrying that weight heavily.

There was genuine excitement around him coming into the season. During his previous stint as captain, DC had flirted with a playoff spot, and there was hope that another season of experience, along with exposure to India’s T20 World Cup-winning environment, would help him grow further as a leader.

But this season has felt slightly out of sync for Axar. His own performances with bat and ball haven’t really hit top gear, but more than that, his decision-making on the field has looked uncertain at times. Whether it is the bowling changes, field placements, or reacting to pressure moments, there have been phases where DC have looked like a team waiting for something to happen rather than trying to force the game their way.

The numbers only tell part of the story, but they do highlight how much Delhi’s campaign has drifted. After starting the season with back-to-back wins, DC have lost rhythm completely, swinging between promising performances and frustrating collapses from one game to the next.

More than the stats, it is the timing of the decisions that has hurt them. T20 cricket moves too quickly for hesitation, and too often this season, Delhi have looked a step behind the game. Whether it was choosing to bat first, continuing with out-of-form combinations, or delaying changes that looked obvious from the outside, the small calls have repeatedly gone against them.

And that is where Axar Patel now finds himself under pressure. He does not need to suddenly become a different captain, but DC desperately need clearer thinking and stronger conviction in crunch moments. Backing players who are in rhythm, reacting faster to match situations, and showing more certainty with tactical calls could still change the direction of their season.

The good news for Delhi is that the season is not gone yet. The bad news is that the margin for error is disappearing quickly. Right now, DC are not just fighting opponents or points tables. They are fighting confusion, indecision, and a campaign that risks slipping away before they fully realise it.

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