The head coach of the Delhi Capitals, Hemang Badani, once again faced tough questions regarding his team’s performance, individual form, and strategic decisions. The Delhi Capitals failed to withstand the Chennai Super Kings in their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 match on Tuesday after suffering a top-order collapse. Furthermore, the spinners failed to deliver on a surface that was offering significant grip. Speaking at the press conference, Badani addressed concerns about Kuldeep Yadav‘s form, admitting that the left-arm chinaman spinner needs to improve.
Kuldeep bowled three overs against CSK, conceding 34 runs without taking a wicket. When asked about his recent struggles, Badani noted that while the management expects more, they remain committed to him.
“We would ideally want Kuldeep to be better than this, but we will rally around him as he has been a part of this side for many, many years. I think it is more the case of just about somebody striking form; he hasn’t struck peak form yet and hasn’t bowled at the speeds that he would normally bowl. I think it is a question of time, and we have faith in him.”
“No Control Over Pitch”
Badani was also questioned on whether the decision to bat first on a tricky Arun Jaitley Stadium wicket backfired. He explained that the franchise has little influence over the nature of the pitch prepared by the curator, despite it being their home ground.
“We don’t have any control over the surfaces. It is a lot easier for a side to field 20 overs and then understand what the surface would be when they bat second, and that is pretty much what happened. I thought the game was lost in the first 10 overs when we didn’t get enough; we were about 70 for 5, and you don’t want to be 70 for 5 even if it is a tough surface. It has been a bit of an up-and-down curve for us to understand what we are going to get at Delhi, which is our home. One game was a 265, but there is little control that any side has on surfaces.”
Badani On Axar’s Struggles
While Kuldeep has struggled with the ball this season, DC skipper Axar Patel‘s form has been equally concerning, particularly with the bat. After another disappointing outing for Axar against CSK, Badani reiterated his support for the captain.
“As a side, you obviously don’t want to be 60 for 5 or 50 for 5; that is not the position any side wants to be, and if we are in that spot, the only option is to bring in a batter. With Axar, I think it is again a question of someone who has played cricket at the highest level, a double World Cup winner, and you give them the faith. I don’t think I would pinpoint Axar, as it is not one person; it is a team, and as a side, we will have to play better cricket.”
The DC head coach concluded by setting a clear objective for the remainder of the season: the franchise must win all four of its remaining matches to stay in contention.
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