Delhi Capitals’ campaign in the 2026 Indian Premier League is in tatters after they lost another important game on Friday night at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, formerly known as the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium. They are still in the hunt for the play-offs, but with every passing match, their hopes are rapidly dwindling.
It’s a matter of great concern that the franchise is not doing well at home. The defeat against Kolkata Knight Riders on Friday was their fifth at home out of six games this season. KKR needed just 14.2 overs to chase down 143. DC had beaten Mumbai Indians in what was their first home game, but after that, there has been nothing but disappointment.
They scored a mammoth 264 against Punjab Kings, but they couldn’t defend it. A couple of days later, they registered the lowest powerplay score in the IPL against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. In a shocking batting performance, they found themselves reduced to 13/6 at the end of six overs. Needless to say, they lost the game.
Against Gujarat Titans, a game they should have won earlier at home, they lost by one run after David Miller failed to score two off two balls. A few days ago, Chennai Super Kings romped to a comfortable victory in the national capital.
It’s really alarming that the franchise has failed to do well in its own backyard, which suggests two things. First, they have not been able to assess the conditions. Second, they have not been able to deal with the pressure of playing in front of home fans. It’s something that needs looking into on priority. Axar Patel surprised many, including former India spinner R Ashwin, after he chose to bat against CSK despite significant rain in the lead-up to the game.
Ashwin, on his YouTube channel, made no bones about what he thought of Axar’s decision to bat. “…And for the last two days, there has been rain in Delhi. The wicket was under covers. How can you bat? They gave away the game to CSK. If Delhi had bowled, they might have ended up winning this game,” he said.
The Ashwin suggestion!
Ashwin didn’t stop just there. He asked Axar to go beyond his usual call of duty. Like, he should form a bond with the local curator at the stadium, so that he can get important information regarding the nature of the pitch, and match conditions in general. “Axar should talk to the curator, share a bond, and ask about the wicket and conditions,” he said.
We don’t know if Axar is doing that, but if he is not, it’s a very good suggestion. Chennai Super Kings, Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders share 13 IPL trophies between them, and their dominance and success can be solely put down to their performances at home.
Delhi have traditionally struggled at home. Even last season, they had lost four out of five games at home. And those results were the reason why they couldn’t reach the play-offs despite winning their first four games. Home is where you rest, rebuild and stay impenetrable. Sadly, that has not been the case for the franchise from the national capital.
Despite the defeat, mathematically, they are still in the race. In their remaining three games, they are on the road twice. On May 17, they will be playing at home for the last time this season, against Rajasthan Royals. It might be a little late now this season for them to address their home woes, but they have to acknowledge that it’s a real issue and try hard to remedy it for future campaigns.
