Lucknow Super Giants: Delhi Capitals head coach Hemang Badani has insisted that the franchise has found an answer to their top-order woes by bringing in fresh options like Prithvi Shaw, Ben Duckett and Pathum Nissanka through the auction ahead of the IPL 2026 season starting on March 28.
DC posted the second-lowest run rate and batting average in the batting powerplay during IPL 2025. Opening partnerships were a major concern, as DC’s opening stands averaged just 21.8 runs – the lowest among all teams and yielding only two fifty-plus stands in 14 innings.
DC experimented with seven different opening combinations but failed to find success, leading to a rethink ahead of the new season and with the hope that stability at the top in 2026 will replace the constant chopping and changing that hurt them in 2025.
"The answer to that is quite straightforward. The only way to address that is to find somebody who can do the job for us. It didn't work for us last year. Hence, you saw the changes with Porel, KL, Faf, Jake. We have gone out and picked a few openers.
"We have gone back to Prithvi Shaw, then we got Ben Duckett and Pathum Nissanka. We have genuinely addressed that issue by picking those players. The opening slot was a target area for us in the auction and we have pretty much done that," Badani said while replying to a question from IANS in the pre-season press conference on Monday.
DC, led by Axar Patel, will open their IPL 2026 campaign against the Lucknow Super Giants at the Ekana Cricket Stadium on April 1.
Venugopal Rao, Director of Cricket at DC, echoed the sentiment. “Same here. We will try new openers.”
Badani also noted the rapid evolution of T20 cricket in the last 12 months, noting that higher scores had become the norm and that India’s triumph at the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup reflected the new template. "I think it is pretty much the case with cricket as such. Cricket has evolved to a point where 180 is not sufficient and you will have to have good shots at the top.
“We have gone by and seen what has happened in the World Cup in recent times with skipper (Axar) winning it for the second time and you have seen scores of 250, 240 - we have also seen similar scores last year with the IPL.
“I think once we have had the impact player, even though the world cup does not have the impact player, I think it is the intent that everyone shows of late and that will be the way forward for cricket in this format itself."
A similar concept is also brewing in terms of bowling strategies, added Badani. "There was a concept of dot balls. We used to say bowl dot balls. Now it is more the case of how do you minimize boundary balls and how do you minimise the boundary ball in an over?
“Or Try and reduce the boundary ball in an over rather than just bowl a dot ball. So I am happy we are taking six singles rather than bowling two dot balls and getting three boundaries," he added.
On DC’s long-standing wait for an IPL title, Badani stated the focus was on improvement and clinching the trophy in 2026 rather than dwelling on past campaigns. "We don't have to necessarily re-emphasise what's happened or how the season has gone. Every player who has played for us last year or even through the season recognises that we could have finished differently.
“It's not for us to keep driving that and drilling it into their heads, try and be a lot more objective about how we will get better, what is it that you can add value, how can you be better than what you are right now to make sure that we cross the line.
“That's pretty much the conversation that we have. Yes, we have a review chat after the season is done as to what are the areas that we need to work on for the next year and accordingly plan and we are here again in 2026."
Badani further said the franchise had found stability in leadership with Axar continuing as their captain. “I can't really speak of what's happened in the past, because I haven't been a part of this environment. I've just been with them since last year. It was a conscious call that look at somebody who's been with us, understands the people, fans, ground, environment, and the management.
“It was quite straightforward for us that Axar was the man. Hence, we've also again tried to stick with him. I thought we had a very good season. Maybe we didn't finish off the way we would have liked, but I thought we had a great start.
“That also speaks of a young leader that you see in him. He's been around for a long time. Also, a long-standing Delhi-ite, Delhi Capitals boy, no better person to lead the side than him. Here again, he's here as the leader for us, come season two.”
On Jammu and Kashmir fast bowler Auqib Nabi, who’s coming for his maiden IPL stint after becoming the leading wicket-taker in Jammu & Kashmir’s maiden Ranji Trophy win, Badani dismissed concerns over price tag of Rs 8.4 crore bringing any pressure on him and praised his consistency.
"I have been seeing him for 2-2.5 years. He was somebody who was working with another fast bowler who has worked with me in SRH. I have known him from those days. What I see with him is the consistency that he brings to the table. He is somebody who is not just about picking wickets.
“It's about how consistent he is with his line and length and he is somebody who might believe that. He is a guy who will pick wickets for us up top. In the last 6 years, we have seen his white ball record also, which has actually gone under the radar.
"I have been seeing him for 2-2.5 years. He was somebody who was working with another fast bowler who has worked with me in SRH. I have known him from those days. What I see with him is the consistency that he brings to the table. He is somebody who is not just about picking wickets.
Also Read: Live Cricket Score
“But I think it's upon each individual. We have seen in the past where players have got affected by the price tag and have felt the heat of getting paid. But it has had an impact in the past on a few players and that does not necessarily mean it will do or for sure it won't happen here,” he concluded.