Delhi Capitals took the field without regular captain Axar Patel for the second consecutive game, as they faced off against Punjab Kings at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on Saturday, May 24. In his absence, veteran batter Faf du Plessis once again took charge of the team.

Axar’s absence comes at a critical juncture, with the all-rounder still recovering from an illness that had already ruled him out of DC’s clash with Mumbai Indians earlier in the week.

Uncertainty Around Axar’s Return

Ahead of the PBKS clash, assistant coach Matthew Mott acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding Axar’s availability, citing lack of training and ongoing health concerns.

“The honest answer is I don’t fully know,” Mott admitted. “He’s not training today. But, we’ll find out when we get back there today. Obviously, he wasn’t well the other day. He’s had a pretty rugged time with a few different little niggle and injuries. I’m sure he’s motivated to come out and play, but we’ll probably know a little bit more tonight when we go back and see the medical stuff.”

Axar’s continued absence was particularly felt in the previous match against MI, where his spin expertise was missed on a turning track that favored slow bowlers.

Faf du Plessis reflected on this after the match, pointing out how Axar could’ve made a big difference.
“Yeah, I think especially (missed) Axar on a wicket like that. If you look at the way that Mitch Santner bowled, they’re very similar bowlers. To bowl four overs, I think (Santner) only went for ten runs. Axar is that kind of class bowler, international, proven left-arm spinner that on a wicket like that, he would love to bowl in it. But unfortunately, he was very, very sick the last two days.”

Chahal’s Omission Raises Questions

While DC had clarity on Axar’s condition, Punjab Kings made a surprising change of their own, with Yuzvendra Chahal missing from the playing XI. Captain Shreyas Iyer gave no explanation during the toss regarding Chahal’s omission, leaving fans and analysts speculating.

The lack of an official update has only added to the intrigue around the leg-spinner’s sudden absence. Along with Chahal, Delhi’s Abhishek Porel was also left out without any mention.

In Axar’s absence, the Capitals will rely heavily on Kuldeep Yadav to lead the spin department. Vipraj Nigam, who has been primarily used as an all-rounder, will likely have to play a more prominent role with the ball as well.

Playing XIs and Impact Subs

Delhi Capitals (Playing XI):
FAF DU PLESS (C), Sediqullah Atal, Karun Nair, Sameer Rizvi, Tristan Stubs (WK), Ashutosh Sharma, Vipraj Nigam, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohit Sharma, Mustafizur Rahman, Mukesh Kumar Impact SUBS: KL Rahul, Manvanth Kumar, Tripurna Vijay, Ajay Jadav Mandal, Darshan Nalkande

Punjab Kings (Playing XI):
Prabhsimran Singh, Priyansh Arya, Josh Inglis (WK), Shreyas Iyer (C), Nehal Wadhera, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Azmatullah Omarzai, Azmatullah Omarzai, HARPREET BRARAR, ARSHPREET BRARAR, ARSHPREET BRARAR, ARSHPREET BRARAR Impact Subs: Praveen Dubey, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Suryansh Shedge, Kyle Jamieson, Xavier Bartlett