IPL 2025: DC head coach rues missed yorkers, Axar Patel absence in MI loss
Delhi Capitals head coach Hemang Badani admitted that missed yorkers from his side's bowlers and the absence of regular skipper Axar Patel were the two major reasons behind their 59-run defeat to Mumbai Indians on May 21, a loss that officially knocked DC out of the IPL 2025 playoffs race.Speaking at the post-match press conference at the Wankhede Stadium, Badani expressed disappointment at how the team's experienced international pacers—Mustafizur Rahman and Dushmantha Chameera—struggled to execute their plans in a must-win clash.advertisementIPL 2025: MI vs DC Highlights
"The game changed in the last two overs that we bowled. The 18 overs that were bowled by us were consistent and spot on. Our execution wasn't to our expectation in the end and we ended up giving away 48 in 12 balls,' Badani said.'We should have read the game better and should have understood that the surface was slower, could have gone to the cutters, could have also gone to bowl wide yorkers. You would expect bowlers of international level to come and nail the yorkers and if you don't do that, players like Suryakumar Yadav who have been around long enough will punish you,' he added.The absence of Mitchell Starc, Delhi's leading wicket-taker this season with 14 scalps in 11 matches, proved to be a significant setback. Starc, who opted not to return to India after the IPL's mid-season suspension, left a gap that Mustafizur Rahman and Dushmantha Chameera failed to adequately cover. Mustafizur, brought in as a late replacement for Jake Fraser-McGurk, returned with modest figures of 1 for 30, while Chameera had a night to forget, conceding 54 runs without taking a wicket.advertisementIndian pacer Mukesh Kumar also had an underwhelming outing—despite picking up two wickets, he leaked 48 runs in his four overs. Delhi's death bowling woes were fully exposed as Mumbai plundered 48 runs in the last two overs. Mukesh was taken apart for 27 in the 19th over, followed by Chameera conceding 21 in the 20th. This late onslaught allowed Suryakumar Yadav to finish unbeaten on a fluent 73 off 43 balls, while Naman Dhir's explosive 24 off 8 deliveries gave Mumbai a match-winning total.Badani also emphasised that the absence of regular skipper Axar Patel on a Wankhede pitch that showed early signs of turn left a significant void in the side during their most crucial game of the season.'But I would like to add here that someone like Axel Patel would have made a massive difference to us. A left-arm spinner on this surface would have been very helpful for us. Moreover, his left hand-batting would have also countered (Mitchell) Santner. But as I said, the better side won and I wish them well,' Badani added.Chasing 181, DC's batting unit faltered once again, crumbling to 121 all out in 18.2 overs. From a team that had once begun the season with four straight wins, it was a bitter end. MI, on the other hand, sealed the final playoff berth and look rejuvenated heading into the knockouts.Stay updated on IPL 2025 with India Today! Get match schedules, team squads, live score, and the latest IPL points table for CSK, MI, RCB, KKR, SRH, LSG, DC, GT, PBKS, and RR. Plus, keep track of the top contenders for the IPL Orange Cap and Purple Cap. Don't miss a moment!Must Watch
IN THIS STORY#IPL 2025
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NDTV
an hour ago
- NDTV
India Playing XI vs England: Shardul Thakur Returns, New Position For Shubman Gill In Side Picked By...
Former India cricketer Ravi Shastri has proposed a refreshed lineup as India embark on a new chapter in Test cricket, following the retirements of stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, as per the official website of ICC. Moving forward after the Test retirements of Kohli and Rohit, new India captain Shubman Gill and the 18-player squad face a stiff first assignment, meeting the No.2-ranked side in alien conditions in a five-match series, as part of the new World Test Championship cycle. On The ICC Review, Shastri put forward the left-right combination at the top for the first Test against England, beginning on June 20 in Leeds and a debutant at first drop. "It would be (Yashasvi) Jaiswal, and with him will be KL. Rahul, because I think this is a big tour for him. He's the most experienced of the batsmen," Shastri began as he listed his side, as quoted from the official website of ICC. "He opened last time when India toured England, got a hundred, (and) had a good tour. So I would hope for him to open the innings," he said. "Three, I'll go with the youngster, Sai Sudarshan," he added. "Whatever I've seen of him, he's very impressive. This will be good exposure for him, this tour," he noted The top three are joined by the new Test skipper at No.4 in Shastri's side, with the 25-year-old Gill taking on the role 32 matches into his red-ball international career. Gill was considered unlucky to lose his place in India's XI during the series defeat in Australia, though he returned at No.3 when Sharma was not selected for the final Test in Sydney, filling the hole left by Rahul, who moved up to open. Below the captain in the first Test of the upcoming series, Shastri admits it might be a call based on form heading into the Headingley assignment, but believes in Karun Nair, who also has experience in county cricket, and earned a long-awaited recall. "In all probability, depending on what current form is, it'll be Karun Nair. He bats at five, it's a long time since he played for India. Six will be (Rishabh) Pant," he added. "I think he (Nair) has worked really hard. He's just worked his way back into the side. The number of runs he's got in first-last cricket is incredible," Shastri noted. "And I met him during an IPL (Indian Premier League) game. I said, 'don't just bang the door. Just kick it down and make your way in and walk into that side'. And I think he's done just that. Just the number of runs that he's got has made the selectors look in that direction and give him a place," he said The remaining questions surround the make-up of India's bowling attack. Ravindra Jadeja at No.7 is the side's frontline spinner, with Shastri's biggest decisions surrounding the No.8 spot, and the make-up of the fast-bowling attack. Two fast-bowling all-rounders look to be in a battle for one spot, while a decision between Prasidh Krishna and left-armer Arshdeep Singh could be condition-dependent. "I would go with three fast bowlers, (plus) Shardul Thakur," he said. "I know it'll be a tough one between Shardul and Nitish Reddy, but you have to see who bowls how much. If Reddy is going to give you 12, 14 overs, then he might get the nod because of his batting," he added. "And the three fast bowlers would be, I would go with Prasid Krishna, I would go with Mohammed Siraj and of course Jasprit Bumrah," Shastri said. "In Leeds, if it's overcast and it's cloudy, there might be the temptation of going with the left-armer Ashdeep Singh as well. So it will be Prasad, Prasidh Krishna/Ashdeep but the other two will be Siraj and Bumrah," he noted.
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
'Shubman Gill will be 3rd or 4th most influential person in India after Prime Minister': Jos Buttler
Shubman Gill, the current Indian Test captain, will become the third or fourth most influential person in the country after the Prime Minister, feels England white-ball great Jos Buttler. Gill, who was named captain of India's Test side after Rohit Sharma announced his retirement from red-ball cricket last month, will make a new beginning of the Indian side minus legends like Virat Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin, when they take on England in a five-match Test series starting June 20 in Leeds. Before that, Buttler shared his thoughts on Gill and his leadership qualities. "I don't think we can quite understand the level of interest and the stardom that these guys have. You see it around the IPL, you're aware of it, but actually living that yourself… I think they say the Indian Test captain is like the third or fourth most influential person in India, behind the Prime Minister etc. - so you really are put up on that pedestal," Buttler told former England fast bowler Stuart Broad in the For The Love Of Cricket podcast. Buttler played under Gill's captaincy in IPL 2025 when he turned up for the Gujarat Titans after not being retained by the Rajasthan Royals ahead of the mega auction. Both Gill and Buttler had an excellent season with the bat, along with Sai Sudharsan, as the trio formed a strong top-order that helped GT move into the playoffs this year. When Broad asked Buttler to explain Shubman Gill as a leader, the former England captain used words like "calm," "measured," and "interesting." To put matters into perspective, Butter called Gill a mixture of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli when it comes to captaining the side. Kohli was an in-your-face captain, while Rohit was calmer and laid-back, but both had a high level of intensity on the field. "He's a really impressive player and an impressive young man," Buttler said. "He's pretty calm and measured when he speaks, but [it's] interesting, I feel like on the field he's got a bit of fight about him; a bit of intensity, quite passionate. I think he'll be a mix of Kohli and Rohit. "Kohli [was] that sort of real aggressive [character], really transformed the Indian team, in your face, up for the contest. Rohit [was] a bit on the other side, a bit more laid back, very cool, calm, collected customer, but with that sort of fight. I feel like, from my time knowing Shubman so far, he'll be a bit in the middle. He's obviously learned from those two guys… but he'll be very much his own man." Buttler said one of Gill's biggest challenges will be to ensure that he does not let the captaincy affect his batting - as happened with Buttler towards the end of his England's white-ball captaincy. "He talked about compartmentalising batting and captaining; so when he's batting, he just wants to be a batter, and then he will try and work on his captaincy and try and separate the two roles," Butler said. "When you're doing such a big job as being captain of the Indian cricket team, he'll have to try and do that well and have some good people supporting him."
News18
an hour ago
- News18
Bumrah Promises Gill: 'There For Him Whenever He Needs Me In Whatever Capacity'
Last Updated: Jasprit Bumrah said he will support new Indian Test captain Shubman Gill on the England tour, with freedom and guidance. Jasprit Bumrah said he will assist newly appointed Indian Test captain Shubman Gill on the tour of England. In an interview with former India wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik for SKY Sports, Bumrah said that he wants Gill to forge his own path but will be ready to guide the youngster in the five-Test series. 'In my experience, I feel that you have to give freedom and you have to be there for him. So I am there for him whenever he needs me in whatever capacity. I don't want to jump in, and if I see something, I can give in a quiet word. But I want, that's how I have played cricket," Bumrah told Sky Sports. 'I want person to be free. I want the person to be free thinking how he wants to operate. He obviously has a thought process. He's young and energetic, so he wants that, and that is how it should be. So whenever he comes up to me, whenever he's had discussion with me, I'm always there for his support and whatever he needs out of me, I'm more than happy to help him," he added. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had named the young Gill as Rohit Sharma 's successor to lead the Indian Test side. Bumrah also revealed that his need to balance his workload led him to decline BCCI's wish for him to take up captaincy. 'Before Rohit and Virat retired during the IPL, I had spoken to the BCCI about my workload for a five-Test match series. I consulted the medical professionals managing my back and concluded that I needed to be smarter about my workload. So, I informed the BCCI that I did not want to be considered for a leadership role as I couldn't commit to all the matches in a five-Test series," Bumrah explained. For Gill, India's tour of England will be his first assignment as captain in the longest format. First Published: June 17, 2025, 18:06 IST
