Delhi Capitals captain Axar Patel won the toss and chose to bat first against Chennai Super Kings in an IPL encounter at Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on Tuesday.
Key takeaways
- Axar Patel elected to bat first after assessing the Delhi pitch as good and potentially slower in the second innings.
- Lungi Ngidi returned to the DC XI after missing a few games due to a head injury sustained during a match against Punjab Kings on April 25.
- CSK reshuffled their lineup with Akeal Hosein and Gurjapneet Singh coming in because Ramakrishna Ghosh was unavailable.
- Ruturaj Gaikwad felt the surface looked a little dry, suggesting little difference between batting and bowling first.
- Both captains stressed the importance of focusing on process and momentum rather than getting trapped by the points situation.
Captains’ calls and pitch assessment
With Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium hosting the contest, Axar Patel stated that the team wanted to take first-innings advantage. He highlighted that the track appeared to be in good condition and suggested it could become slower as the innings progressed, which would suit DC’s bowling plans. Axar also noted that, given how the season has been unfolding, the match carried significant weight, but the side’s focus would remain on executing their cricket rather than obsessing over the points table.
Patel admitted DC had dropped some tight matches during the campaign, yet said he was satisfied with the overall balance of wins and performances. He also pointed to fielding as an area where the team could have been sharper to put themselves in stronger positions. In terms of the side’s only noted change, Patel confirmed Lungi Ngidi’s inclusion in place of Kyle Jamieson.
Speaking for CSK, Ruturaj Gaikwad said the original intention was to bowl first, but the pitch looked dry enough that it may not swing the contest decisively in favour of either decision. He added that while the outcome of the toss might not drastically alter things, the team was entering the game with confidence after positive signs in recent matches. Gaikwad emphasized that although CSK had not won every game, performances had shown improvement across departments since the opening phase of the tournament.
The CSK captain also underlined the growing rhythm in their bowling and the gradual strengthening of the batting unit. He said the objective was to carry that momentum into the final stretch of the league phase. Gaikwad welcomed the chance for younger players to step up, framing it as a sign that the franchise’s faith and backing are being rewarded—while still insisting there is a long way to go.
Playing XI: DC vs CSK
Chennai Super Kings (Playing XI): Sanju Samson (w), Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Urvil Patel, Kartik Sharma, Dewald Brevis, Jamie Overton, Akeal Hosein, Noor Ahmad, Anshul Kamboj, Mukesh Choudhary, Gurjapneet Singh.
Delhi Capitals (Playing XI): KL Rahul (w), Pathum Nissanka, Karun Nair, Tristan Stubbs, Nitish Rana, Axar Patel (c), Ashutosh Sharma, Mitchell Starc, Kuldeep Yadav, Lungi Ngidi, T Natarajan.
