Delhi Capitals (DC) were outclassed by nine wickets in their IPL 2026 match against Royals Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Monday (April 27).

Invited to bat first, the Capitals were bowled out for a mere 75 in 16.3 overs and RCB chased down the paltry target with 81 deliveries to spare.

This was DC’s fifth defeat in the last six outings. They had started their campaign with two straight wins against LSG and MI but have completely lost their momentum, currently languishing at seventh spot in the league table with 6 points from 8 games.

Following the heavy loss against RCB, former India cricketer Krishnamachari Srikkanth criticized DC captain Axar Patel for his poor form, citing failures with both bat and ball.

Axar has aggregated only 31 runs in six innings so far this season, while picking up seven wickets.

"He hasn't done anything with the bat in a long time. Even as an all-rounder and captain, it's been ages since he has done anything. When was the last time he did anything deadly with bat or ball? How can the team come up if this is the case?" said Srikkanth while speaking on his YouTube channel.

Srikkanth also blamed several Delhi batters, including Tristan Stubbs, Nitish Rana, Sameer Rizvi, and David Miller, for the team’s struggles.

"It's been ages since Tristan Stubbs scored something substantial. Nitish Rana is a gone case when you bounce him. Sameer Rizvi struggles against fast or medium-fast bowling at the start of his innings. If he gets set after smashing some spinner for 20, he'll play well then even against pacers. Miller has also done nothing impactful," he added.

Meanwhile, Axar Patel has made a humble appeal, urging the franchise's fanbase to remain steadfast in their support. He emphasized that the team is also hurting and that true support is most valuable during such difficult times.

“You spoke about the fanbase. I can just console them by saying that if the fans are disheartened, the players are, too. After so much hard work, we do not play to lose. I think this is the time they should support the players. It shouldn't be that you only support us when we win. Whether we win or lose, support should remain the same,” Axar said during the post-match press conference.

“The important thing is that you are supporting a team. Continue that and have trust and belief. As a captain, I trust my team. That belief is very important. I have faith that we can change it all around,” he remarked.

Delhi Capitals will next face Rajasthan Royals on Friday (May 1) at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur.