Delhi Capitals (DC) are getting ready to take on Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Match No. 31 of the ongoing Tata Indian Premier League 2026 (Tata IPL 2026) at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad on Tuesday (April 21). Before this match, a big update has come on the fitness of DC captain Akshar Patel.
In fact, Axar Patel had given Delhi Capitals (DC) an injury scare during their last IPL 2026 match against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in Bengaluru, where he had to retire hurt in the 17th over of DC’s innings due to severe leg cramps.
DC captain Akshar Patel gets approval to play IPL 2026 match against SRH
All-rounder Axar Patel was batting after scoring 26 runs in 19 balls when he could not bear the pain and the team doctor reached the field to treat him. However, the DC skipper could not get going and even struggled to leave the field, raising serious concerns over his availability for the SRH game.
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But now Delhi Capitals head coach Hemang Badani has confirmed that Axar has been declared fully fit for the important match against Sunrisers Hyderabad. “Everything is fine. He (Akshar Patel) is fit to play,” Badani said in a press conference on Tuesday, as quoted by ANI.
Now, DC will be hoping that Axar Patel performs well with both bat and ball, as he has not performed well so far this season. The captain has taken only 5 wickets and scored only 29 runs in five matches so far in the ongoing IPL 2026.
Hemang Badani defends David Miller on DC vs GT’s 1-run heartbreak
Meanwhile, the DC head coach also addressed David Miller’s criticism after the team’s one-run defeat to Gujarat Titans (GT) earlier this season. The defeat created a lot of noise, raising questions over the South African star’s decision-making as he refused to give up the strike and Delhi lost the game by just one run.
However, Badani has made it clear that Miller still has the full support of the team. However, the coach admitted that the defeat was disappointing but it is part of the game and Miller’s intentions were not wrong, especially in close T20s where decisions are taken in seconds.
“Look, I think first and foremost what you need to understand is that he is someone who has been in the team for a very long time. Yes, it is heartbreaking to lose a game like the one we lost against Gujarat. And there was a lot of discussion about it on social media, news, telly and even the broadcasters,” the coach stressed.
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Miller has taken the right decision: DC coach
Badani also pointed out that some decisions in the game work and some don’t, and fans often make decisions based solely on the outcome, but he never doubted Miller’s vision or commitment.
He further added, “But the main thing is that the player takes the call at some point. And sometimes you get the right call; sometimes you don’t get the right call. And I still believe he took the right call. Contrary to what everybody thinks, that’s an opinion I respect. And I understand everybody has an opinion.”
