Axar hints at Kuldeep's struggles with Delhi's loss to Chennai in 2026

Axar Patel’s admission that he missed bowling alongside Kuldeep Yadav highlights the spinner’s poor IPL 2026 showing.

Captain's candid admission The moment came when captain Axar Patel unexpectedly responded to an unrelated question by saying, 'When we were bowling, I missed my partner Kuldeep.' Such a remark carries weight, especially when Patel bowled three of his four overs and remained on the field for the entire innings. The interviewer agreed, noting how the pitch seemed to favor spin bowling, making Kuldeep’s performance stand out even more. ## Spinners' contrasting returns Delhi Capitals chose to bat first, anticipating that spin would dominate the match. While opposition spinners claimed 3 wickets for 41 runs in seven overs, Axar Patel contributed with 1 wicket for 25 runs in his four overs. Kuldeep Yadav, however, conceded 34 runs in just three overs without taking a single wicket, leaving his returns as the most glaring statistic. ## Match factors beyond spin Kuldeep’s poor figures were not the sole reason for Delhi’s defeat. The team’s decision at the toss raised eyebrows, their batting lineup faltered, and they were forced to bring in an extra specialist batter as the Impact Player. Chennai Super Kings also benefited from an off night by T Natarajan, but the frustration over Kuldeep’s performance has clearly grown. ## Kuldeep's worst IPL season? A closer look at Kuldeep’s season statistics reveals why there is growing dissatisfaction. Among 21 spinners who bowled over seven overs this IPL, none conceded at a rate higher than his 10.36 runs per over. His seven wickets came at an average of 44.42, the worst among those bowlers. Even in his struggling 2019 IPL, he conceded at 8.66 runs per over despite taking only four wickets in nine matches. ## DC's support for Kuldeep Despite the setbacks, Delhi’s head coach Badani emphasized the team’s belief in Kuldeep. 'We would ideally want to be better than this,' he said. 'But we will rally around him. He has been somebody who has been part of this side for many many years. I think he can turn this around.' Badani attributed Kuldeep’s struggles to a lack of peak form rather than any major technical flaw. ## Focus on pace and turn Kuldeep’s slower bowling speed has long been a concern, as it allows batters to recover even when beaten in the air. His current pace of around 86-87 kmph is similar to last IPL, when he took 15 wickets at 7.07 runs per over. However, the expected tradeoff of greater turn has not materialized. Even Axar Patel, a fingerspinner, extracted more turn than Kuldeep in the same match, including during two overs with the new ball in the powerplay. ## DC leadership's concern The lack of turn from Kuldeep is now a pressing issue for Delhi Capitals’ leadership. With his performance under scrutiny, the team finds itself seventh on the table with just eight points from 10 matches. Badani remained optimistic, stating, 'I think more the case of someone striking form. He hasn't struck peak form yet. It is a question of time. We have the faith in him.'