Delhi Capitals (DC) stunned Rajasthan Royals (RR) twice within a month to keep their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 playoffs hopes alive. On May 17, DC ended their long-running win drought at home in the season with a five-wicket win over Riyan Parag’s men. The last time they won at home was on April 4, beating Mumbai Indians (MI). Since then, they have seen target of 265 being chased down by Punjab Kings (PBKS), followed by 75 all out against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). As DC’s playoffs hopes are dependent on a series of permutations and combinations, their head coach, Hemang Badani, rued the unpredictability factor of home venue. Badani said that they stopped talking about the pitch altogether as Arun Jaitley Stadium surfaces have offered them no home advantage, being unsuitable for their style of play.
"If you're able to break the season into two halves - about what's happened at home and what's happened away - we've had four wins in six games away and we've primarily struggled at home [two wins in seven games]," Badani said at the post-match press conference.
"From last year, we've had five at this venue plus we've had seven now, which is 12 games, and we've only had three wins, one of them being a Super Over. That pretty much tells you how the surface has been for us.
"It hasn't been conducive to our style of play. We've many a times not been able to figure out what the surface is like and that's the reason why you see those results and those numbers.
"You generally would ideally look at the grass that's available in the surface, the texture of the surface, the colour of the surface. But each time we've turned up here, we've got something very different. So it is what it is. We accept it and move on."
Team selection, preparation affected by unpredictable pitches
Badani said that the number of pitches in Delhi have not been consistent. From being spin-friendly to being a batting paradise, DC have suffered as they have not been able to read the pitches leading to difficulty in preparation and team selection.
"We are getting bowled out for 60; we are getting bowled out for 150; we are also scoring 260. We don't know how Pitch No. 4 will play, how Pitch No. 5 will play, how Pitch No. 6 will play," he said.
"We have played on three pitches and all of them have been different each time. So it's difficult to prepare. When you know this pitch will have a par score of 180, or a par score of 200, or a par score of 250, you structure the side accordingly. But here… whatever is happening is happening."
Badani on consistency in IPL home advantage
Badani was asked whether he would want more control over the pitch. He said that the home advantage should be consistent for all teams and they should know how the surface will behave.
"If it has to be a consistent decision for all [then yes], but it should at least be where you know at least what to expect. Here, we don't know what the surface will do," Badani said.
DC are placed seventh on the points table with 12 points from 13 games. The picture will be clear for them as the week progresses. On May 24, they face Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Till then, if they still stay in contention for playoffs, the KKR match may turn out to be a knockout match for both teams.