Delhi Capitals (DC) kicked off their IPL 2026 clash against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the Arun Jaitley Stadium by winning the toss and opting to bat first, banking on a solid surface and their in-form top order of KL Rahul and Pathum Nissanka.
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Axar Patel admits fielding
DC captain Axar Patel stressed the importance of executing plans rather than focusing on points, while also acknowledging a key weakness that has cost the team this season.
“We will bat first. I think the surface looks good, and we feel it’s a very good pitch. Maybe in the second innings it might slow down a bit, so I’d like to give that advantage to our bowlers. The way the tournament is going, it’s a very important match. But at the same time, it’s more important to focus on how you’re playing. You can’t think too much about points - if you do, you put extra pressure on yourself. That’s what we’ve been discussing as a team, we just want to play good cricket, and the points will take care of themselves.”
Reflecting on the team’s overall campaign, Patel highlighted that while batting and bowling units have delivered, lapses in the field have hurt their chances in tight games.
“We’ve lost some close matches, but if you look at the season overall, I’m happy with the wins and performances. That’s what happens sometimes, but if we talk about cricket, I’m very happy with the boys’ batting and bowling. In fielding, if we had done better, we could have been in a stronger position. One change - Lungi Ngidi in place of Kyle Jamieson.”
DC eye turnaround against CSK amid challenging head-to-head record
Currently placed seventh on the points table, DC have had a mixed campaign with four wins and five losses from nine matches. Despite flashes of brilliance, inconsistency has kept them outside the top tier.
They now face a tough challenge against CSK, a side that has historically dominated this rivalry. Chennai hold a commanding 20-12 head-to-head advantage and have been particularly strong in Delhi, winning six out of eight encounters at the venue.
Recent history also favours the visitors, with CSK winning four of the last six meetings since 2022, compared to DC’s two victories.