Following Delhi Capitals’ (DC) crushing defeat to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at their home ground, former India spinner Piyush Chawla urged the side to stay calm and refocus rather than panic after their batting collapse.
DC were bowled out for just 75 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, marking one of their lowest totals in IPL history and significantly denting their net run-rate (NRR). Despite the heavy loss, Chawla believes it is not the time for the team to lose composure.
“There will be some panic around for sure, knowing the history of Delhi Capitals. But that’s not the right time [for it] now. They need to sit together, discuss about it, and they have to start fresh – because they started off pretty well in the tournament, and it’s not like in three weeks, the team has changed or the way of playing has changed,” Chawla said on ESPNcricinfo.
The defeat came just two days after DC registered their highest total of the season, highlighting their inconsistency. After a strong start with consecutive wins, the team has managed only one victory in their last six outings. Fielding lapses have further compounded their struggles, with missed opportunities proving costly in crucial moments.
Chawla also pointed to a recent game where dropped chances played a decisive role, including Karun Nair putting down Shreyas Iyer twice, which eventually helped Punjab Kings pull off a record chase.
“Later, in the business end of the tournament, when they look back at it, those two points will definitely come to haunt them if they are not qualifying [for the playoffs],” Chawla said.
“So right now is the time [when] they just have to forget everything and move on, start playing some positive cricket, and just make sure there’s a very positive environment in the dressing room because that plays a huge role,” he continued.
He further emphasized the importance of maintaining unity within the squad during tough phases.
“When things are not going your way, it’s very, very easy for any team to just scatter and just talk behind the back that this guy would have done this, this guy would have done that, he would have taken that single, this guy would have taken that catch,” the leg-spinner concluded.
The Axar Patel led side will now face in-form Rajasthan Royals (RR) on May 01 at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur. This will be a crucial game for the Delhi-based franchise.
