Delhi has barely managed to settle into one mood this week, with forecasts swinging between oppressive heatwave conditions and sudden hailstorm warnings—sometimes even within the same day. That same lack of stability has shown up in Delhi Capitals’ recent IPL rhythm. The franchise reached a staggering high at home by posting 264, the greatest team score in Men’s T20 competition history, only to follow it with an abrupt collapse to 75 all out in their next match. Both results ended in defeats: the 264-innings became the most chased total ever in Men’s T20, while the 75 proved to be the second-largest loss by balls remaining. The poor run also stretched a slide that briefly threatened to derail another encouraging season, with Delhi now sitting at five losses in six games. Yet as soon as they hit the road, momentum swung back—dramatically. Against a strong Rajasthan Royals side, Delhi chased 226 with one over to spare, marking their most successful IPL chase in 19 years and restoring confidence just when it was most needed.
Key takeaways
- Delhi Capitals set a franchise landmark at home with 264, their highest Men’s T20 total, but were beaten after it became the record for the highest chased score in the format.
- The very next outing brought a collapse to 75 all out, which has since become the second-largest defeat by balls remaining.
- After a run of five defeats in six matches, Delhi snapped the trend by chasing 226 against Rajasthan Royals with 1 over to spare—also their best IPL chase in 19 years.
- Delhi’s recent XI reshuffle involved sitting David Miller, bringing in two overseas options in the bowling group and giving Pathum Nissanka a chance to return.
- Mitchell Starc’s arrival has added more penetration at the start of innings, and Lungi Ngidi’s comeback could help Delhi lock in what they consider their strongest combination.
- CSK and DC both enter Tuesday’s away fixture on 8 points from nine games, with Chennai’s better NRR separating them, while both teams are still within reach of four other sides sitting on 12 points.
Delhi’s turnaround and the overseas reshuffle
Delhi’s improvement since their last road trip has been tied to both selection calls and role clarity. The decision around benching David Miller has not been presented as a single “master plan,” but it did create flexibility for Delhi to restructure their pace resources with two overseas additions. It also opened a window for Pathum Nissanka, who has made the most of his opportunity.
With Mitchell Starc now part of the setup, Delhi have reportedly found the kind of new-ball bite they had been missing. Starc’s presence gives the opening overs more edge and helps set up pressure early—something the franchise will value as the competition heads toward its decisive phase. Lungi Ngidi is also expected back soon, and once he slots in, Delhi believe they may be close to their preferred overseas combination.
Why CSK and DC meet with pressure still on
Chennai Super Kings are in a similar bind in several ways. In the points table, both sides are level on eight points after nine games, and the only separation is Chennai’s superior NRR following their most recent win. Neither team has been able to string together results with complete comfort, even though both arrive in the national capital after convincing wins elsewhere. Still, the phrase “back in form” does not quite fit when consistency has been hard to maintain for both franchises.
The standings also keep the stakes high. CSK and DC are effectively balancing on a tightrope, with four other teams positioned above them on 12 points. That means small margins could decide who remains in the hunt.
There is also a storyline about past meetings. Ahead of Tuesday’s away game, Chennai have repeatedly had the upper hand over Delhi, including in Delhi. Meanwhile, Delhi’s form at home has not been convincing recently: after winning 4 of their last 5 at one stage in 2024, the Capitals have managed only two wins across the 2025 and 2026 seasons in nine completed matches at this venue. That leaves a lingering question as they return to familiar surroundings—specifically which version of Delhi shows up.
Match details: Delhi vs Chennai in Delhi
When: Tuesday, May 5 at 7:30 PM IST
Where: Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi
What to expect: A different surface than the previous four matches—pitch no. 4—has been readied and is expected to support scoring. In games that Delhi have won at this ground, the average first-innings total is 210 runs. The outlier has been Delhi’s own 75 all out. This season, Gujarat Titans are the only team that has successfully defended a total here.
Head-to-head and recent trends
Head-to-head: CSK lead the matchup 20-12 overall. Even at Delhi, Chennai hold a strong 6-2 record against the Capitals. Since 2022, CSK have won four times while Delhi have managed two victories.
Did you know?
– CSK’s 20 wins over DC are the second-highest they have recorded against any opponent; only their 21 wins against KKR and RCB are higher.
– Delhi have lost three straight matches at home so far, with only one win in their first four home games—against MI.
– Delhi have dropped 16 catches so far, and their catching efficiency of 65.2% is the lowest among the 10 teams.
Teams watch: injuries, availability, and tactical angles
Delhi Capitals
Injuries & Availability: Lungi Ngidi is back and available again after serving the required seven-day period under the ICC concussion concussion protocol. Sahil Parakh remains “still injured.” His back issue has driven changes to the combination, including Nissanka’s return and David Miller’s benching. Delhi are expected to keep the current starting XI, with bowling coach Munaf Patel suggesting that changes at the top are unlikely.
Matchups & Tactics: CSK’s early batting has struggled this season—its opening partnership aggregate has reached 205 runs at an average of 22.77, the second-lowest among all teams, behind only KKR. Chennai’s record against Delhi’s captain has also been less effective: Axar Patel has dismissed Ruturaj Gaikwad at a strike rate of 140.35 three times and has removed Sanju Samson at 122.97 twice in T20s. That history may encourage Axar to target wickets in the powerplay again.
Probable XII: KL Rahul (wk), Pathum Nissanka, Nitish Rana, Sameer Rizvi, Tristan Stubbs, Abishek Porel/Vipraj Nigam, Axar Patel (C), Ashutosh Sharma, Lungi Ngidi, Mitchell Starc, Kuldeep Yadav, T Natarajan
Chennai Super Kings
Injuries & Availability: MS Dhoni has not travelled to Delhi as he continues rehabilitation away from the squad. CSK have not yet confirmed who will replace Ramakrishna Ghosh after his recent injury.
Matchups & Tactics: KL Rahul’s first-10-ball strike rate has climbed to 147.76, and he has already produced a 152* and a 92 at this venue earlier in the season. Pathum Nissanka has also found rhythm alongside his aggressive style. For Chennai’s early approach, Anshul Kamboj—who has enjoyed success against right-hand batters in powerplay overs this season, taking 4 wickets in 47 balls at an economy rate of 8.29—could be the best option to spark early breakthroughs.
Probable XII: Sanju Samson (wk), Ruturaj Gaikwad (C), Urvil Patel, Kartik Sharma, Dewald Brevis, Shivam Dube, Jamie Overton, Prashant Veer, Noor Ahmad, Anshul Kamboj, Mukesh Choudhary, Gurjapneet Singh/Akash Madhwal
What the coaches said
What they said: “I don’t think you have to tie his runs directly to his role as captain. He has always been very clear about leadership, and he is absolutely the leader of the group… He’s gone through some difficult innings—situations where the wicket has been challenging and we’ve been under pressure—and he has continued to battle through. That is the hallmark of a truly high-quality batter: he doesn’t only score when the conditions are kind. For me, I’ve always described him as a surgeon in this chaotic world of batting. He’s the kind of player who can make 50 runs off 22 balls and you barely notice him doing it. We’re starting to see that side of him again. The leadership has been there the whole time; he’s always been the captain. Now it’s simply good that he’s finding form with the bat, but there was never any doubt he would.”
– CSK bowling coach Eric Simmons on Ruturaj Gaikwad rediscovering his batting rhythm
“We made changes because Sahil was injured. Pathum came in as a replacement, and we’ll stick with that plan because he performed well. I don’t think there is a need for further changes.”
– DC bowling coach Munaf Patel on the decision to bench David Miller
