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Delhi Capitals (DC) are short on two overseas players in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. England opener Ben Duckett pulled out to save his place in Test squad whereas Australian left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc is yet to recover from a shoulder injury. While DC are yet to name Duckett’s replacement and await word on Starc’s availability, South Africa pacer Lungi Ngidi has done well for the franchise. DC bowling coach Munaf Patel is pleased with Ngidi’s work ethic. Patel lauded Ngidi for being an easy player to handle unlike other overseas players he has worked with.
"Lungi with his limitations, he is a very good bowler. He is a good man, he is an easy man to handle unlike other foreigners. He has a good idea of how to bowl on these wickets. He doesn't try to bowl at express pace. He uses his yorkers and slower ones effectively," India’s ODI World Cup 2011-winning pacer said in the pre-game press conference on April 8.
Patel was asked about express pacers being injury prone. He is currently enjoying working with Ngidi, T Natarajan, Mukesh Kumar and Auqib Nabi Dar.
"The guys who bowl at 150 are not playing. If they don't play they will stay injured. We have come from a system that the more you bowl the more rhythm you have. When you are injured and not in rhythm, you will automatically get injured," he said.
Ngidi in IPL 2026 so far
30-year-old Ngidi has been exceptional with his yorker length off-cutters outsmarting batters. Against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), he claimed three wickets for 27 runs in 3.4 overs. The in-form Proteas pacer claimed the wickets of Nicholas Pooran and tailenders Anrich Nortje and Mohsin Khan. In the game against Mumbai Indians (MI), he dismissed their stand-in captain Suryakumar Yadav who was batting for 51 in death overs. From four overs, he conceded 34 runs.
Interestingly, DC got Ngidi for a steal deal. No other franchise bid for him auction and they got him for his base price of Rs 2 crore. Similarly, they got New Zealand pacer Kyle Jamieson, South Africa middle-order batter David Miller at base price of Rs 2 crore as well.
Ngidi’s former franchise Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) chose to bid for Jacob Duffy instead. Also, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) went for Kiwi duo Matt Henry and Zakary Foulkes.
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