Badani Reflects on Delhi Capitals’ Missed Opportunities in IPL 2026

Delhi Capitals head coach Hemang Badani admitted the franchise let crucial moments slip away during another disappointing IPL campaign, as DC failed to qualify for the playoffs for the fifth consecutive season.

Despite beginning IPL 2026 with two victories, Delhi Capitals eventually finished sixth on the points table. Speaking after their final league match win over Kolkata Knight Riders, Badani said the season could have unfolded very differently had the team capitalised on key moments.

“There were many games where I genuinely felt the result could have gone either way, and we didn’t seize those moments,” Badani said. “Against Gujarat Titans, we lost by one run. Then there was the game where we failed to defend 264 against Punjab Kings. Against Chennai Super Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad, we dropped catches at crucial stages. Those small margins made a huge difference.”

Delhi’s inability to consistently take wickets also hurt their campaign. Even after bowling out KKR in their final match, DC ended the season with only 64 wickets in 14 games — the joint-lowest tally among all teams.

The absence of Mitchell Starc for much of the tournament added to their struggles. The Australian pacer featured in only six matches but still picked up 11 wickets at an average of 20.36.

“Starc not being available for the first nine games definitely hampered us,” Badani admitted. “He is someone who performs in all formats and brings immense value. But even without him, we had our opportunities to qualify. IPL is a tournament of very small margins, and we failed to capitalise on them.”

DC captain Axar Patel echoed his coach’s views but praised the team for continuing to fight despite being out of playoff contention. Delhi ended the season strongly with victories in their final three matches.

“We were not playing well, but we kept fighting,” Axar said after the match. “The way we played the last three games showed great character from the team.”

Axar also reflected on his first season as captain, admitting that maintaining the right mindset was one of his biggest learnings from the campaign. The all-rounder endured a difficult individual season as well, averaging under 20 with the bat while taking 11 wickets in 13 innings.

“In a high-pressure tournament, it’s important to take care of everyone, but it’s even more important to keep yourself in a good frame of mind,” Axar said. “Only then can you make the right decisions instead of reacting out of frustration. I kept trying to stay calm and improve my mindset whenever things weren’t going well.”

The franchise is also set for administrative changes ahead of IPL 2027, with operational control shifting back from GMR Sports to JSW Sports as part of the co-ownership agreement.

For Delhi Capitals, however, IPL 2026 will ultimately be remembered as another season filled with missed opportunities and lingering questions about how close they came to turning promise into playoff qualification.