Delhi Capitals (DC) captain Axar Patel attributed his team's dramatic batting collapse against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 to a combination of "bad luck" and hesitation among the batters. Speaking after the match, Axar noted that no batsman could settle at the crease due to the rapid fall of wickets, which turned the game decisively in RCB's favor.
Axar's Explanation for the Collapse
"I think because of what happened in the last game… there was some hesitation. Other than that, I think it was bad luck. No batter could really settle… we lost wickets in one or two balls," Axar said. Delhi had scored a massive 264 against Punjab Kings in their previous match but failed to defend that total. Against RCB, they were reduced to a staggering six for eight, effectively ending the contest at that stage.
Impact of Previous Defeat
Axar acknowledged that the previous defeat against Punjab Kings might have influenced the team's batting approach. He also observed that the pitch conditions changed rapidly. There was early movement, but it became easier to bat once the new ball lost its shine. "In the first over there was swing, later, once the ball got hit for a boundary, the swing reduced. But when you score 60–70, bowlers come in with that in the back of their mind," he explained.
Pressure and Team Outlook
"The way we batted today, I would call it bad luck," Axar reiterated. He emphasized that pressure is inherent at this stage of the tournament and the team must learn to cope with it. On a positive note, he confirmed that Mitchell Starc has joined the squad and will be available after May 1, depending on his workload management.
Debutant Sahil Parakh
Axar also discussed the decision to hand a debut to Sahil Parakh, stating that the move was made to create a left-right opening combination and was based on Parakh's impressive form in training. However, Parakh was bowled by Bhuvneshwar Kumar with an in-swinging yorker on the second ball of the innings. "It was his first match. I cannot judge him on that. The way he has been batting, we believe he has potential," Axar said, expressing confidence in the young player's abilities.
