Former BCCI selector Kris Srikkanth launched a scathing attack on Delhi Capitals after the franchise suffered a catastrophic batting collapse against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Monday at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. Delhi were dismissed for a paltry 75, and RCB chased the target down in only 6.3 overs to register a third consecutive win over Delhi, who slipped to their own third straight defeat.
Delhi’s downfall began early as Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood made the ball move in both directions, getting swing as well as extra bounce that unsettled the Capitals’ batters. Inside the powerplay, their top six crumbled to a mere seven runs, with three wickets falling for zero—an all-too familiar start that set the tone for the innings. By the end of the six-over mark, Delhi were 13 for six, marking the lowest-ever powerplay tally by any team in IPL history.
From there, the damage only deepened. Delhi ultimately folded for 75 runs in 16.3 overs, a scoreline that stands as their third-lowest total in IPL history and also the second-lowest number ever posted by Delhi in the competition. The defending champions, meanwhile, made the chase look straightforward, reaching the target in 39 balls while losing just one wicket.
Srikkanth didn’t hold back when he took to his YouTube channel, directing his criticism at multiple Delhi batters from the XI and arguing that inconsistency has been a major problem during the IPL 2026 campaign. He pointed to Tristan Stubbs’ struggles, suggesting it had been “ages” since the batter had produced a meaningful contribution. He also took aim at Nitish Rana, claiming the team’s plans don’t work when he is forced to play under pressure after being met with bounce. Srikkanth further remarked that Sameer Rizvi often finds it difficult against fast or medium-fast bowling when he faces early overs, adding that he can function better if he manages to settle after committing to attacking spin. He also said (David) Miller had not delivered any impact of note.
The criticism then widened to captain Axar Patel. Srikkanth accused Axar of failing to make a difference in any role—whether as a batter, a bowler, or as a leader—during this season. He argued that Axar hadn’t contributed with the bat for a long stretch and questioned how the side can progress if that trend continues. Srikkanth also raised the workload and performance question by noting that Axar has managed only 31 runs so far in IPL 2026 while picking up seven wickets across eight matches.
Delhi’s season began with momentum, winning their first two games, but their progress stalled after a narrow loss to Gujarat Titans. That defeat proved hard to shake off: they were next beaten by Chennai Super Kings, before briefly finding form by beating Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Bengaluru. Still, the revival didn’t last, and the Capitals then dropped three matches in a row, leaving them placed seventh on the points table.
Delhi will look to respond quickly, with their next assignment against Rajasthan Royals on May 1 in Jaipur.
