In any profession, the most effective captains are the ones who consistently help their side get the best out of the people around them. That is the real measure of leadership—call it a KPI if you want the corporate translation. For Delhi Capitals skipper Axar Patel, that central test has not been passed. He can be relied upon as a complete cricketer across disciplines, but when it comes to the most crucial part—turning chances into results—he has repeatedly fallen short. It is difficult for any franchise to lose an IPL match even after posting 264 runs, yet Delhi Capitals have found a way, and the pattern is familiar: from the start of the campaign, things have not been right at all.
Axar needs to own the responsibility. Being the “nice guy” will not solve the problems that are showing up match after match. Delhi have been letting catches go and missing run-out opportunities, and that has to land at the feet of the captain and the leadership group. Fielding coach John Mooney and Axar should both be held to account for performances that have cost them points. Against CSK, Pathum Nissanka and David Miller dropped Sanju Samson and Ayush Mhatre. Against SRH, KL Rahul missed what looked like a routine run-out of Abhishek Sharma; Sharma was on 49 at the time and went on to finish unbeaten on 135. Rahul also had a miss in the same area against CSK, when he failed to execute an easy run-out chance involving Mhatre.
On Saturday evening, Delhi Capitals created multiple chances, but four of them were particularly damaging. Lungi Ndigi went for a standard catch at this level, but instead of taking it cleanly, he mishandled the opportunity and also picked up a serious injury in the process. Mukesh Kumar did take a catch, but he touched the boundary rope while doing so—an easy dismissal, yet he managed to turn it into a messy moment. Then came the bad luck for Karun Nair: after he settled into the role of safe hands, taking a straightforward catch off Nehal Wadhera at long-on, he celebrated too soon. Not long after, he dropped two sitters from the bat of Shreyas Iyer.
The bigger question is how Delhi’s fielding has slid from poor to worse, and Axar must explain why it continues to happen. Fans in India understand cricket deeply; they can see why one team is winning and why another is losing. So when Axar said after the match that DC did not deserve to win because their fielding and bowling—especially in the powerplay—were not up to the mark, it rings hollow. The issue is not only whether the team bowled badly at times; it is that fundamental opportunities are being squandered.
Worst in Axar-era?
There is room for leniency when judging a franchise that has enjoyed strong phases in the past—bad seasons are part of the sport. Still, in Delhi’s case, the overall picture has been grim for long stretches. In 18 earlier editions, they have managed to play just one final and that too they lost. In the period before Axar led, at least there was a sense that the team approached games with seriousness and structure, and as a supporter, there were quiet hopes that things might click. Those hopes have faded completely—both last year and this year—with Delhi now among the few sides you would bet against in terms of lifting the title, and even making the playoffs can feel like a stretch rather than a guarantee.
Last season, Delhi Capitals started with four straight wins, only to fail to qualify for the play-offs. It is a rare and stark example in the league’s long history. There is simply no room for excuses, because they have not had a similar story to balance out the disappointment.
Axar has shown he can contribute with bat and ball, which is exactly what he does for Team India. But leading a franchise is a different responsibility, and so far he does not look fully suited to it. He is certainly a pleasant individual, as he demonstrated during a pre-season press event in Delhi—fielding questions from the media and later agreeing to selfies—but when the team is not executing in the middle overs and beyond, none of that matters.
Even with the bat this season, Axar’s output has been minimal: 0, 2, 1, 26 not out, and 2. That has reduced the number of people willing to offer sympathy. Another KPI has been compromised. At this rate, it would be difficult to imagine the captaincy staying his for long. Still, he is likely to remain in place as far as IPL 2026 is concerned, because right now there is no clear player within the group who can honestly promise a better job.
