Former India batter Krishnamachari Srikkanth has taken aim at Delhi Capitals skipper Axar Patel, questioning his impact with both bat and ball during the current IPL campaign. His criticism was prompted by Delhi’s collapse against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, a match in which Axar could manage only a three-ball duck as the Capitals were dismissed for 75.
Key takeaways
- Srikkanth said Axar Patel has not contributed meaningfully with the bat “for a long time” despite being an all-rounder and captain.
- Delhi Capitals were bowled out for 75 versus Royal Challengers Bengaluru, with Axar recording a three-ball duck.
- Axar has made 31 runs across six IPL innings so far this season and has taken seven wickets.
- Srikkanth also questioned the contributions of Tristan Stubbs, Nitish Rana, Sameer Rizvi and David Miller for Delhi’s struggles.
- Against RCB, Delhi slipped to 8/6 in the opening four overs before Abishek Porel’s 30-ball knock helped them reach beyond RCB’s previous low.
Srikkanth questions Axar’s impact for DC
On his YouTube channel, Srikkanth argued that Axar’s overall output has been absent for too long, stressing that the skipper has not shown the kind of batting or bowling influence expected from a player carrying all-round responsibilities. He framed his concern around the idea that, in a T20 side, both leadership and performance must translate into clear match moments.
After Delhi’s batting collapse against Bengaluru, Srikkanth pointed to the scoreboard and highlighted that Axar’s season has not produced the kind of decisive contributions that can lift a team. He also raised a broader question about how the side can compete if key players are not delivering when it matters.
“He hasn’t done anything with the bat in a long time. Even as an all-rounder and captain, it’s been ages since he has done anything. When was the last time he did anything deadly with bat or ball? How can the team come up if this is the case?” Srikkanth said.
Calls out other Delhi players and reviews the DC vs RCB match
Continuing his critique of Delhi’s batting troubles, Srikkanth singled out several names, arguing that they have not provided enough substance across phases of innings. Tristan Stubbs, Nitish Rana, Sameer Rizvi and David Miller were all mentioned as players, in his view, who have not managed to consistently change Delhi’s fortunes with the bat.
“It’s been ages since Tristan Stubbs scored something substantial. Nitish Rana is a gone case when you bounce him. Sameer Rizvi struggles against fast or medium-fast bowling at the start of his innings. If he gets set after smashing some spinner for 20, he’ll play well then even against pacers. Miller has also done nothing impactful,” he added.
In the match against RCB, Delhi’s start was extremely fragile, with the Capitals slipping to 8/6 inside the first four overs. The innings was briefly steadied by Abishek Porel, who struck 30 off 33 balls and included three fours, while Miller (19) and Kyle Jamieson (12) provided short bursts that helped Delhi build just enough resistance.
Those efforts enabled Delhi to surpass Bengaluru’s then-standing record of the lowest IPL total, which stood at 49. Even so, the Capitals were ultimately dismissed for 75, and the defeat underlined the concerns Srikkanth had voiced about form and match impact.
Chasing the target, RCB completed the job with pace, driven by quickfire innings from Devdutt Padikkal (35*) and Virat Kohli (23*). Jacob Bethell also contributed as Bengaluru overhauled the score and ensured the match ended with Delhi on the losing side.
