Delhi Capitals’ chances of reaching the playoffs are hanging by a thread after their latest setback against Kolkata Knight Riders, with captain Axar Patel looking visibly drained in the immediate aftermath. The defeat extended Delhi’s poor run to five losses in their last six outings, putting their season in serious jeopardy. With their playoff qualification hopes now dependent on winning every remaining match and also seeing other results fall their way, the task looks extremely steep. Even if they win all their remaining games from here, Delhi’s maximum points total would be 14, a figure that may not be sufficient to guarantee a top-four finish this year.
Asked about Delhi’s next steps following yet another heavy defeat, Axar’s comments mirrored the mood within the squad. He suggested that attention would inevitably begin shifting beyond the current season, with the team likely to conduct a thorough review of what went wrong. After a fifth loss in six games, Axar acknowledged that Delhi would examine their errors while also considering changes that could include giving players on the bench a chance ahead of next year’s campaign.
“Yes, now we’ll go and think about what mistakes we made. After that, yes, what is there now? There is still a long time, next year is also coming. So what plan can we make for next year, what can we think of? In that sense, we can also look at the players sitting on the bench and see who should get a chance and what we can do,” Axar said after the match.
Axar also pointed to two key factors behind Delhi’s downfall: a batting collapse and a below-par showing from the spin department during the contest. Batting first, Delhi posted 142, a score that never appeared secure once KKR opener Finn Allen took command in the chase. Allen played a commanding knock, finishing unbeaten on a century as he guided Kolkata to the target in just 14.2 overs, turning the match into a one-sided affair.
“I think we set a low target and at the same time there were a lot of mistakes from the spinners. The way they stepped up, I think the mistake was from the spinners. But at the same time, if you look at it, when we lost five wickets in two or three overs, I think the momentum went away from us,” he added.
“Can’t really solve DC’s problems like that”
When pressed about Delhi’s recurring middle-overs collapses this season, Axar made it clear that there is no quick fix. He stressed that the solution lies in better awareness and handling pressure more effectively, especially during phases when wickets start to fall in quick succession. In his view, the key is to adopt the right mindset and take the game situation into account rather than reacting after the damage is already done.
“You can’t really solve it like that. You know wickets are taking time. When we were batting, Ashu and I were thinking the same thing, if we make a mistake here, then it becomes very difficult for the next batsman as well. I think it is about applying the right mindset. If you play one or two overs, then you can easily get through. And I think that is what needs to be applied: if wickets are falling in clusters, then you should try to take one or two overs at that time,” Axar said.
