Axar Patel said Delhi Capitals let things slip everywhere when they lost by eight wickets to Kolkata Knight Riders, nearly killing their chance to reach the IPL 2026 playoffs. With his voice low, he suggested the team might already need to look ahead to next year’s campaign after yet another flat showing on familiar ground.
A shaky start doomed Delhi Capitals early, their innings folding at 142 for eight, never quite matching the pitch's generosity, in the latest cricket news. KKR with sharp intent, gunning down the runs in under fifteen overs. Finn Allen tore through the bowling, finishing on 105 not out, while Cameron Green stood tall beside him, closing on 33. The run-chase fizzled into history before it could even spark.
Axar Patel hints at changes for next season
Now sitting eighth, the Delhi Capitals have just eight points after eleven matches following the loss. A win lifted KKR into seventh place with nine points from ten matches, keeping faint chances of a semifinal spot still possible.
Looking back at the tough season, Axar said changes might come; some who sat out could finally get their turn. Mistakes will be reviewed; that much is clear.
“For now, we’ll go back and think about the mistakes we made. After that, obviously, there’s still a long journey ahead, and next year will come too. So we’ll think about what plans we can make for next year and what approach we should take,” Axar said after the match.
“Based on that, we can also look at the players sitting on the bench and decide who can be given opportunities and what changes we can make,” he added, suggesting that major changes could be on the cards.
Low score stung, Axar admitted, DC’s tally way too short given how often teams now cross 200. Middle overs crumbled fast, while spin deliveries missed their mark, both paved the loss.
“I think the runs were definitely below par, and at the same time, the spinners made quite a few mistakes. Looking at the way the pitch behaved, I feel the spinners did make errors,” he explained.
“At the same time, we lost five wickets in two to three overs, and I think that’s where the momentum slipped away from us. That’s probably something we need to think about because the same thing happened against CSK. We started well, and then suddenly wickets kept falling,” he added.
Out there, the team leader said it's less about paper moves, more about how players think under strain. When quick dismissals happen, staying steady matters most.
“You can’t solve it in a complicated way. It’s more about applying the right mindset. Even if you lose one or two wickets, you can still spend time at the crease and play through it. When wickets are falling in clusters, you need to absorb the pressure for an over or two,” Axar said.
Funny how things turn around, Ajinkya Rahane wore a quiet smile when Finn Allen started hitting boundaries again. The opener had stumbled through weeks of silence at the crease earlier in the tournament. Relief seeped into KKR's dugout as his bat began speaking louder than stats ever could.
“I’m really happy for Finn Allen. He was struggling in the first four or five games and working really hard, but the way he batted tonight was fantastic,” Rahane said.
Out in the thick of it, Rahane tipped his cap to KKR’s bowlers, who held firm when things got tight. Through every close call, their fielding stood tall, never backing down when moments demanded more.
“Our bowlers have been doing really well consistently, especially in the middle overs and death overs. Sunil Narine, Varun Chakravarthy and Anukul Roy have been fantastic,” he said.
“Fielding-wise, we are working really hard. Our fielding coach has been really strict with us, and that’s helping us. The catches and ground fielding you’re seeing, credit goes to him as well,” Rahane added.
