IPL 2026: Axar Patel baffled By Delhi Capitals’ collapse vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Axar Patel admits to being perplexed after the Delhi Capitals' batting collapse led to a heavy defeat against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL, highlighting the impact of missed chances and praising the opposition's bowling attack.
IMAGE: Bhuvneshwar Kumar celebrates the wicket of Axar Patel during the Delhi Capitals vs Royal Challengers game in the Indian Premier League in Delhi on Monday. Photograph: BCCI Key Points Axar Patel expresses confusion over Delhi Capitals' dramatic collapse against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Delhi Capitals suffered a significant batting failure, being reduced to 9 for 6 in the Powerplay overs. Axar Patel acknowledges that missed opportunities in previous matches affected the team's momentum. Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar's bowling performances were key to Royal Challengers Bengaluru's victory. Rajat Patidar also expressed surprise at the way the wicket played, crediting the bowlers for their performance.
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Axar Patel didn't have much to answer when Delhi Capitals failed to defend 264 against Punjab Kings on Saturday and looked even more perplexed after his team crumbled to 75 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in their second straight IPL surrender within a space of 48 hours.
The Capitals were reduced to 9 for 6 inside Powerplay overs with Bhuveneshwar Kumar getting appreciable swing and Josh Hazlewood executing short ball tactic to perfection.
The result was season's lowest score and RCB cantered to a nine-wicket win.
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Axar Patel's reaction to the defeat
"Even I don't know what happened. That's why they say you have to be on your toes in cricket. We have to move on from this match," Axar said at post match presentation ceremony.
The single that David Miller refused in a one-run defeat against Gujarat Titans did affect the tournament momentum for DC and Karun Nair dropping dollies against Punjab Kings only made matters worse.
"From today's point of view, you can say it did effect, but you can look back, if the catches were taken (Nair) or had we taken the single against GT, then momentum would have been with us. The game is such that there is no room for ifs and buts. You have to be positive, you had a bad day and take the positives from the last 5-6 games," Axar added.
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Analysing the bowling performance
However the DC skipper refused the notion that there was exaggerated swing on offer which one felt after Bhuveneshwar Kumar's banana inswing cleaned up a clueless former India U-19 Sahil Parakh.
"I wasn't surprised, they are world class bowlers, they swing it every ground, but if our openers or top order had played them out then the result might have been different."
Hazlewood, who dismissed KL Rahul and Nitish Rana with short balls, said that he wasn't sure what kind of track would be on offer after close to 530 runs were scored in the previous game.
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Hazlewood and Patidar's surprised reactions
"Probably turning up here after 500-plus runs in the last game, was not sure what was going to happen," Hazlewood said, adding that he followed pace bowling colleague Bhuvneshwar Kumar's advice.
"Was just following his (Bhuvneshwar) lead. There was a bit there in the first six overs — enough there to work with, and it was skidding on quickly from a short of a length. Once the ball got soft, it got more even," Hazlewood said.
He also spoke about how he set up Rana, who looked in a tangle and out of depth while facing a short ball.
"In general, you wanted the batter to hit it down the wicket and in the 'V'. The short ball was nice as well, just about the accuracy. When that ball was nice and hard, it was tough to bat. Would have been nice to bowl four and get off the field," said Hazlewood.
His skipper Rajat Patidar was also surprised at how things panned out.
"Even I am surprised the way wicket played," RCB skipper said.
"All credit goes to the bowlers, Bhuvi and Hazlewood. They hit the right areas. The swing was normal but the good thing was we got early wickets and that kept us in the driving seat. The way Suyash bowled, stump to stump, it was really good to see," he concluded.
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