DC skipper admits early wickets and pressure changed momentum completely against Bengaluru side
New Delhi
Delhi Capitals captain Axar Patel blamed a combination of hesitation, pressure and “bad luck” for his side’s dramatic batting collapse against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL clash.
Axar said the team never recovered after losing wickets in quick succession. Delhi were left reeling at six wickets for just eight runs during a disastrous phase that effectively ended the contest.
The skipper admitted the scars of the previous game, where Delhi failed to defend a massive 264-run total against Punjab Kings, may have subconsciously affected the batters.
“I think because of what happened in the last game there was some hesitation. Other than that, I think it was bad luck. No batter could really settle because wickets kept falling every one or two balls,” Axar said.
He explained that conditions changed rapidly during the innings. According to him, there was considerable swing with the new ball before the pitch eased out later. However, by then, the damage had already been done.
“In the first over there was swing. Later, once boundaries came, the swing reduced. But when you score only around 60 or 70, bowlers also feel pressure because they know the total is too low,” he added.
Axar refused to blame the bowling attack and instead accepted that the batting unit failed to adjust to the changing conditions. He said the surface looked similar to the one used in the previous match, but weather and wind conditions made batting much tougher under lights.
The Delhi captain also confirmed that Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc has joined the squad and is expected to be available after May 1, depending on workload management.
Backing debutant Sahil Parakh despite his early dismissal, Axar said the youngster showed promise during training sessions and deserved support.
He also urged fans to continue backing the team despite the setback, insisting one poor performance should not lead to panic or drastic changes in the squad.