Delhi Capitals captain Axar Patel reveals why Sunrisers Hyderabad are toughest side in IPL 2026 playoffs

Delhi Capitals spinner Kuldeep Yadav admitted he was not fully satisfied with his IPL 2026 campaign despite delivering a match-winning performance against Kolkata Knight Riders on Sunday. The left-arm spinner revealed that technical mistakes in his bowling action affected his rhythm this season, but working closely with his childhood coach helped him regain confidence and control.

Kuldeep played a key role in Delhi Capitals’ 40-run victory over KKR and was later named Player of the Match for his impressive spell on a slow surface.

Kuldeep Yadav admits IPL 2026 season was below expectations

The Indian spinner honestly admitted that he expected much better performances from himself this season but failed to maintain consistency throughout the tournament.

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Kuldeep said he decided to return home after the previous game and spend time working on small technical corrections with his coach.

“To be very honest, I thought I didn’t have a great season because I was expecting more from myself but couldn’t deliver,” Kuldeep said.

“After the last game, I went back home and worked with my coach on the things I needed to improve. It was just the small things you forget very quickly, especially in white-ball cricket.”

Kuldeep explains technical issue behind poor rhythm

Kuldeep revealed that he was bowling too “open-chested” during the season, which prevented him from using his body properly while delivering the ball.

According to the wrist-spinner, correcting that flaw helped him generate more drift, dip and turn against batters.

“Kuldeep revealed he had been bowling ‘open-chested’ and not using his body effectively, making it easier for batters to attack him.

“Once you start using more of your body and try to spin the ball harder, ultimately you see the results. You get the dip and the drift and obviously you can vary the pace as well,” he explained.

Kuldeep Yadav highlights smart bowling against KKR

The left-arm spinner said changing pace on a slow wicket became the biggest advantage during the game against Kolkata Knight Riders.

Kuldeep pointed towards Rinku Singh’s dismissal as the perfect example of how slowing the ball through the air helped him deceive batters.

“The wicket of Rinku was a perfect example because I tried to slow it down through the air and he played it straight away, so it was a good ball to get him out,” he said.

Axar Patel proud of Delhi Capitals fight despite playoff exit

Delhi Capitals captain Axar Patel also praised the attitude shown by his team despite narrowly missing out on a playoff spot this season.

Axar said DC never stopped fighting even when qualification became difficult during the final phase of the tournament.

“Even when things were not going well, the way the team fought after that, I am very proud. No one thought that we would just give up and think we are already out,” Axar said.

Axar Patel opens up on captaincy pressure in IPL

The Delhi Capitals skipper also spoke about the importance of remaining calm as a captain during pressure situations in a long IPL season.

Axar admitted that frustration can often lead to poor decision-making if a captain loses composure on the field.

“If you are not in a good frame of mind, then you can take wrong decisions or get frustrated. I think it is very important to stay calm,” he said.

Axar Patel calls SRH strongest team in IPL 2026 playoffs

Axar also backed Sunrisers Hyderabad as one of the most dangerous teams heading into the IPL 2026 playoffs because of their explosive top-order batting.

“When their top three score runs, that team becomes very difficult to stop,” he added.

Also Read: Ajinkya Rahane breaks silence on what made KKR fight back after poor start to IPL 2026