Delhi Capitals (DC) have rotated through 20 players in IPL 2026, a tally that places them among the more frequently used squads in the competition. Mumbai Indians (MI) lead the league-wide usage chart with 24, but DC’s figure still ranks near the top. The franchise has also tapped seven of its eight overseas signings, with only MI’s eight overseas players featuring more often.
With that background, DC are now aiming to lock in a sharper XI when they take on Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Tuesday. Their bowling coach Munaf Patel was blunt about the urgency, saying that there is “no other option but to win.” For DC, the most immediate change is a clearer path to a frontline pace attack, spearheaded by Mitchell Starc and Lungi Ngidi.
Starc arrived late in April, joining DC during the final week of the month. His return to action was mapped to begin on May 1 against Rajasthan Royals (RR), and the plan worked—he struck straightaway by claiming three wickets in his initial burst. Ngidi, meanwhile, had been in excellent rhythm for DC before his injury. In seven matches he took seven wickets while maintaining an economy rate of 8.70. That momentum was halted when he was ruled out after April 25, following a head knock sustained while fielding against Punjab Kings (PBKS).
Munaf confirmed that the situation has improved heading into CSK. “Lungi and all bowlers are 100% fit,” he said. “He missed the last two matches because of the six-day protocol for head injuries, but he is fully ready now. Taking a wicket within the first six overs can swing the game, which is why bowling in partnerships becomes so important.”
He also explained how DC have been adjusting their options as the tournament has unfolded. “Our early approach was to rely on Indian bowlers like Auqib [Nabi] and Mukesh [Kumar]. That gave us a chance to strengthen the batting with overseas players. But when a plan doesn’t work, you have to switch to plan B.”
With Starc now available and delivering wickets without needing time to settle in, DC are hopeful they can find the right balance in the XI. Munaf described the impact succinctly: “He is like the captain of the fast bowlers.” At the same time, DC’s selection headache appears limited to one name, with Sahil Parakh the only player currently carrying an injury concern.
Selection pressure is also rising because DC’s position in the points table leaves little room for experimentation. They sit seventh, having won four of their nine games, and Munaf stressed that the mindset has to change. “Obviously, we play every match to win,” he said, “but now the relaxed mode is over. If you want to qualify, you have to win all the matches.” He added that shaping the “best combination” is always challenging because there are only four overseas slots available in each match.
Sahil’s injury, according to Munaf, influenced the most recent lineup choices as DC tried to maximize both batting strength and bowling flexibility. “Sahil was injured, so we wanted to give Pathum [Nissanka, in the previous match] an opportunity and also have an additional bowling option,” he explained. “That is why we went with that combination.”
Munaf further clarified the logic behind DC’s earlier contingency planning. “At that time, Lungi was not available, so the plan was to go with either Pathum or [David] Miller depending on the balance we needed. Pathum came in as a replacement, and we will keep with that approach because he performed well. I don’t think there is a need for further changes.”
The CSK match will be played in Delhi, DC’s home base, and Munaf would naturally like a surface that brings out the best of his spin duo—Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel. Still, he believes the pitch may not turn slow enough to force that exact game plan. “We have world-class spinners in the form of Kuldeep and Axar,” Munaf said. “There is no question of them not playing. If the wickets are slow, it actually works in our favour because we have quality spinners.”
He also pointed out that in the tight scheduling of IPL, pitches typically do not deteriorate as dramatically as supporters might assume. “But I don’t think the wickets will be as slow as people expect,” he added. “With the time available between matches, the surface doesn’t slow down that much unless there is weather interference. They might slow slightly, but not significantly.”
For DC, momentum is the other crucial ingredient. They have already won four matches, but they have not strung together more than two consecutive wins at any stage, and the tournament is now reaching a phase where teams cannot afford slip-ups. Munaf underlined how confidence is built. “Confidence always comes from winning,” he said. “You cannot develop confidence by losing matches.”
He also urged the group to move forward mentally after their most recent encounter against CSK, which ended in a 23-run defeat. “We have already moved on from the previous result,” Munaf said. “If we keep thinking about it, it will affect us again. It’s better to forget it and move ahead with the right mindset.”
