Former India cricketer Krishnamachari Srikkanth has strongly criticised Axar Patel, raising serious concerns over the captain’s performance in the ongoing season of the Indian Premier League 2026.
Speaking on his YouTube channel after Delhi Capitals suffered a crushing defeat against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Srikkanth highlighted Axar’s struggles with both bat and ball this season.
His remarks came after Delhi Capitals were bowled out for just 75 runs, with Axar dismissed for a three-ball duck, adding to what has been an underwhelming season so far.
“Hasn’t Done Anything With Bat Or Ball”: Srikkanth
Srikkanth did not hold back while assessing Axar’s recent performances, questioning his contribution as both an all-rounder and captain.
“He hasn’t done anything with the bat in a long time. Even as an all-rounder and captain, it’s been ages since he has done anything. When was the last time he did anything deadly with bat or ball? How can the team come up if this is the case?” Srikkanth said.
Axar Patel’s numbers this season reflect the concerns. The Delhi Capitals skipper has scored just 31 runs in six innings, while picking up only seven wickets, far below expectations from a senior all-rounder leading the side.
Other Delhi Capitals Batters Also Under Fire
Srikkanth also criticised several other Delhi Capitals batters, pointing to the team’s overall struggles with consistency and technique.
He singled out players including:
- Tristan Stubbs
- Nitish Rana
- Sameer Rizvi
- David Miller
According to Srikkanth, several of these players have failed to deliver match-winning performances this season.
“It’s been ages since Tristan Stubbs scored something substantial. Nitish Rana is a gone case when you bounce him. Sameer Rizvi struggles against fast or medium-fast bowling at the start of his innings. Miller has also done nothing impactful,” he added.
Delhi Capitals Collapse Against RCB
The criticism followed Delhi Capitals’ disastrous outing against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, where their batting lineup collapsed dramatically.
Delhi Capitals were reduced to 8/6 inside the first four overs, leaving the side in deep trouble early in the innings. A fighting knock from Abishek Porel, who scored 30 runs off 33 balls, along with brief contributions from David Miller (19) and Kyle Jamieson (12), helped the team avoid registering one of the lowest totals in IPL history.
Despite the recovery, Delhi could only manage 75 runs, a total that proved far from competitive.
RCB Chase Down Target With Ease
In response, Royal Challengers Bengaluru comfortably chased the modest target with aggressive batting from:
- Devdutt Padikkal, who remained unbeaten on 35
- Virat Kohli, who added a quick 23*
- Jacob Bethell, who contributed with an attacking cameo
RCB completed the chase with ease, sealing a dominant victory and leaving Delhi Capitals searching for answers after yet another disappointing performance.