Delhi Capitals captain Axar Patel pointed to missed chances in the field after SRH’s Abhishek Sharma produced a stunning batting display. In the chase of a difficult moment, a dropped opportunity and a run-out chance went begging, paving the way for Abhishek to turn the match in one sustained assault.
Quick facts
- Abhishek Sharma struck an unbeaten 135 off 68 balls in SRH’s win over DC.
- SRH chased/secured victory by 48 runs against Delhi Capitals.
- Axar Patel blamed a missed run-out chance by KL Rahul and a dropped catch by Pathum Nissanka.
- Axar rejected the idea of changing DC’s core combination after the defeat.
- Abhishek linked his breakthrough to the freedom and backing he received during SRH’s 2024 IPL campaign.
- Ishan Kishan was happy with SRH posting a 200-plus total on a pitch that slowed down.
Axar said the turning point came when KL Rahul failed to convert a run-out opportunity and Pathum Nissanka also put down a catch that might have ended the danger early. “Run-out chance missed and missed catch did cost us dearly,” Axar remarked. He added that if those chances had been taken, Abhishek may not have reached the heights of his innings.
Still, Axar made it clear that the credit for the big score also belonged to the batter, while fielding remained squarely in DC’s control. “But credit that he took those chances and scored those runs. But yes, good fielding is in our hands and we should have done that,” he said.
No shake-up in the core set-up
With criticism hovering around Delhi’s squad selection, Axar played down any prospect of tinkering with the main group. He insisted the team would treat the game as a one-off disappointment rather than a reason to overhaul plans immediately.
“Not thinking about making any changes. When wicket is so placid, we should just take this as an off day and forget about it,” Axar told Sunil Gavaskar. His stance suggested confidence in the existing structure, despite the margin of defeat.
Why Abhishek credits 2024 for his rise
Abhishek, meanwhile, framed his career-best impact as a direct result of what he experienced in IPL 2024 with Sunrisers Hyderabad. He felt the environment at the franchise gave younger players space to express themselves and operate at their best rather than constantly being restrained by rigid roles.
At the post-match presentation, Abhishek explained that team management helped create confidence. “Team coaches (Daniel Vettori) and captain (regular skipper Pat Cummins) created an environment where you can express yourself,” he said. He also stressed that individual talent needs backing from the captain to fully translate into match-winning performances.
“I wanted to show my talent but you have to have backing from captain,” Abhishek noted. He went on to describe the SRH atmosphere in 2024 as a “game-changer,” adding that it felt like the franchise wanted youngsters to develop.
Abhishek further said that Punjabi players typically enjoy freedom, and that Hyderabad gave him exactly that outlet. “Punjabi players enjoy freedom and Hyderabad team gave me that,” he added, tying his confidence to the team’s culture.
His celebration also carried a message to his personal support system. Abhishek dedicated the moment to the “Orange Army” and took time to thank his father, Rajkumar Sharma, for being present at the ground.
He joked about how his father watches from close range. “One needs to pan the cameras on him (father) to catch his expressions. He always sits close to the sightscreen and whenever I look at him from the ground, he has an advice,” Abhishek said.
SRH’s approach: adjust to the pitch
On the match itself, Abhishek said SRH had to shape their plan differently because the surface was not a straightforward, high-reward belter. After an initial phase that moved slower than expected, the batting group recalibrated its strategy and relied on specific match-ups.
“The way we started, we had a plan to use the Powerplay. It was a bit slow and we had to replan, we had match ups in our mind,” he explained. He also highlighted the importance of timing and scoreboard pressure, noting that even a special venue does not reveal a par total until the full 20 overs unfold.
“Always been special moment scoring at this special ground and you don’t know par score till you play 20 overs,” Abhishek said.
Kishan pleased with a 200-plus total
Ishan Kishan, leading from the front in the innings planning, was delighted that SRH managed to post a score above 200 on a track that became more difficult to hit as the game progressed. He suggested that discussions within the camp now focus on learning how each pitch behaves and taking the next game in that context.
“Don’t have much to say when you have 200 plus score on a track where pitch gets slower and its not easy to hit,” Kishan said. He added that the team’s approach is match-by-match, giving themselves a few deliveries to gauge how the surface will play.
“Discussions is to take match by match. We have to give ourselves 2-3 balls to understand how the pitch will play. We just watch the ball and play our game,” Kishan concluded.
