DC Captain Axar Patel Blamed For Rs 13.25 Crore Star's Poor Form: "Highly Mishandled"
Delhi Capitals (DC) skipper Axar Patel has been criticised for not utilising one of his star players well.
- Delhi Capitals captain Axar Patel was criticised by S Badrinath for the poor performance of Kuldeep Yadav
- Kuldeep, who cost DC Rs 13.25 crore, has taken just 7 wickets in 10 games at an economy of over 10
- "Kuldeep Yadav hasn't bowled well for sure. But he has been highly mishandled by Axar also," Badrinath said
Delhi Capitals (DC) have a number of worries heading into the final few league games of IPL 2026, and chief among them is the form of wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav. Retained for Rs 13.25 crore, Kuldeep has taken just seven wickets in 10 games, and conceded runs at an economy-rate of over 10 this season. Often, he has not even completed his quota. However, Former India and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) star Subramaniam Badrinath blamed DC skipper Axar Patel for not using Kuldeep properly during IPL 2026.
"Kuldeep Yadav hasn't bowled well for sure. But he has been highly mishandled by Axar also," Badrinath stated, speaking on his own YouTube channel, as quoted by Sportskeeda.
Badrinath suggested that Kuldeep's poor form is as much on Axar Patel as it is on Kuldeep himself.
"When you use a bowler is very important. Axar bowled Kuldeep the 20th over once, whereas he himself didn't bowl. You cannot put your bowler in the deep end.
"So the captain hasn't used him properly and Kuldeep also hasn't been at his best. When a key bowler isn't in form, it's all the more important that the captain uses him at the right time. So it works both ways, and Axar also hasn't been at his best," he added.
Meanwhile, ahead of his side's match against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Delhi Capitals batter David Miller backed a struggling Kuldeep Yadav amid poor form, calling him "skilful" and a "match-winner".
DC, struggling for survival in this tournament after four successive losses at home, will be aiming to keep their playoff chances alive against KKR, who are upbeat after three successive wins following a six-match winless run. Kuldeep has been poor in this edition of the IPL, having taken just seven scalps in 10 matches at an average of 44.42 and an economy rate of 10.36, with best figures of 2/31.
Speaking during the pre-match presser, Miller recalled his battles with Kuldeep, revealing he "does not like facing him".
"With someone like Kuldeep, I have always played against him, and I do not like facing him. But now I am with him in the same team and squad, and he adds so much to the team. He is a great character, and for me it is important to have those kind of guys continually playing. Because he is a match-winner. So take the good with the bad.
There have been one or two games where he has not bowled the best that he could have bowled. But that is the same for everyone. You are not always going to be on. But he prepares really well. He is always up for the game and the battle. And he is really skillful," he added.
With ANI inputs
Delhi Capitals
Axar Patel