Axar Patel conceded that Delhi Capitals’ batting and bowling both failed to deliver on the night, after the franchise suffered an eight-wicket thrashing at home against Kolkata Knight Riders. The result dealt a near-fatal blow to DC’s IPL 2026 playoff ambitions, while also prompting the all-rounder to suggest the squad has already started turning its attention to what comes next.
DC’s evening began badly and ended worse, with the hosts posting just 142/8. Kolkata Knight Riders then chased the target comfortably in 14.2 overs, with Finn Allen striking a match-defining unbeaten century (100*). Allen’s acceleration was complemented by a destructive partnership with Cameron Green, who remained not out on 33 as the visitors dismantled Delhi’s bowling attack.
After the loss, Delhi sit eighth in the standings with eight points from 11 matches. Kolkata, meanwhile, revived their postseason chances by climbing to seventh, collecting nine points from 10 outings. Even with the upturn, KKR’s path to the knockout stage is still expected to be challenging from here.
Speaking after the match, Axar said the side would first examine what went wrong and then plan for the future. “For now, we’ll go back and think about the mistakes we made. After that, obviously there’s still a long journey ahead and next year will come too. So we’ll think about what plans we can make for next year and what approach we should take,” he said.
Axar also hinted at potential changes to the make-up of the team for the next season, adding that the franchise would assess the players available and decide who could be handed opportunities. “Based on that, we can also look at the players sitting on the bench and decide who can be given opportunities and what changes we can make,” he added.
With teams increasingly posting 200-plus totals in the tournament, Axar acknowledged that 142 was always going to be a struggle, admitting the score fell well short of what was required. He also pointed to errors in the way the spinners executed their plans while defending a modest target.
“I think the runs were definitely below par and at the same time the spinners made quite a few mistakes. Looking at the way the pitch behaved, I feel the spinners did make errors,” Axar said.
He further explained that momentum was lost when wickets fell in quick succession. “At the same time, we lost five wickets in two-three overs, and I think that’s where the momentum slipped away from us. That’s probably something we need to think about because the same thing happened against CSK… we started well, and then suddenly wickets kept falling,” he added.
Axar believes there are solutions, but stressed that the real fix lies in mindset and execution under pressure. “He admitted the solutions to the issues could be found but players need to show the right mindset and character. See, you can’t solve it in a complicated way. So, I think it’s more about applying the right mindset. Even if you lose one or two wickets, you can still spend time at the crease and play through it. I think that’s what needs to be applied, when wickets are falling in clusters, you need to absorb the pressure for an over or two,” Axar opined.
KKR skipper Ajinkya Rahane was pleased to see Finn Allen finally rediscover his batting rhythm after a difficult stretch earlier in the season. “I’m really happy for Finn Allen. He was struggling first four or five games, working really hard, but the way he batted tonight was fantastic. But I want to praise our bowlers again,” Rahane said.
Rahane credited the bowling group for keeping Delhi under control and giving KKR a platform to chase. “We did well because of them. And they’ve been doing it so well consistently, especially those middle overs and the death overs. Our spinners, Sunil Narine, Varun (Chakravarthy) and Anukul Roy, have been fantastic,” he said.
He also highlighted the team’s fielding standards and the role of their support staff. “Fielding-wise, yes, we are working really hard. Our fielding coach has been really strict with us. And that’s what has been helping us. The result which you’ve been seeing about the catches and the ground fielding, credit goes to our fielding coach as well,” Rahane added.
