Delhi Capitals' (DC) assistant coach Ian Bell shared his views on what has gone wrong for the Axar Patel-led side in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. The Capitals are languishing at No. 8 on the points table and need to win their last two matches to stay in contention for the playoffs.
Bell, who played 287 international matches for England across the three formats, opined that inconsistency in the batting lineup has been detrimental to DC this season. While he praised KL Rahul's contribution
with the bat, he noted that other batters couldn't step up and deliver consistent performances during the season.
“When you look at the top four teams at the moment, there is a lot of consistency in the batting lineup. I think over a period of time now, not having that stability in the batting line up is something we are obviously working towards,” Bell was quoted as saying ahead of DC’s match against Rajasthan Royals at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on May 17.
“KL has again had a fantastic year. He has increased his strike rate, which is what a lot of people asked him to do. But we need other people to step up as well and be more consistent. I don't think anyone quite yet has made himself undroppable by performance, and I think that's important as well,” he added.
To highlight how inconsistent DC has been through the season, he mentioned that the team scored 265 in one match and got bowled out for 70 in another.
“We have to accept, and it has been a crazy season, the fact that we scored 265 here and then followed that up by getting bowled out for 70. You can't win competitions if you're that inconsistent,” he said.
While DC’s aggressive batting approach has produced big scores, Bell admitted that when the conditions have been different, his batters have failed to adjust.
“Plan A is to be ultra aggressive. But we've also seen here in Delhi where the wicket can be a little bit different and you've got to use different skills. You're not going to win T20 cricket anymore by playing safe and building a foundation. But I think the best teams can adapt. That's where we have to be better,” he said.
Skipper Axar hasn't been able to lead the side from the front. Bell said that it is important for his fellow players and the support staff to back him during this lean phase.
“I think it has been really important to support him and get around him. It's not easy. He's an important player not just for this franchise, but for India as well in T20 cricket. He's obviously disappointed more than probably anyone else. Hopefully, he can finish on a real high. We know what he can do at his best and we have got to keep supporting him through that,” he added.
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