Delhi Capitals assistant coach Hemang Badani believes his side’s IPL 2026 campaign was derailed not by a lack of talent, but by repeated failures to seize crucial moments throughout the season.
Despite finishing with 14 points and missing out on the playoffs, Badani insisted Delhi were never far away from qualification, pointing to a series of narrow defeats, dropped catches, batting collapses and missed opportunities that ultimately proved costly.
Speaking after DC’s final league game against Kolkata Knight Riders, Badani described the campaign as one decided by the finest of margins.
“There were many games that I genuinely felt could go either way, and we didn’t seize those moments,” Badani said.
The former India cricketer highlighted several turning points during the season, including Delhi’s heartbreaking one-run defeat to Gujarat Titans and their inability to defend a massive total of 264. He also pointed to costly fielding lapses against Chennai Super Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad, as well as a recurring tendency for the batting unit to lose wickets in clusters.
Delhi Capitals one game away once again
Delhi’s campaign ultimately ended with seven wins and 14 points, two short of the qualification mark.
For Badani, that statistic underlines how close the Capitals were to extending their season.
“If you look at this year, we finished with seven wins and 14 points. The fourth team that qualified got 16 points. Again, it’s a question of one game,” he said.
The coach drew parallels with 2025, when Delhi also narrowly missed qualification after finishing a single point outside the top four.
According to Badani, the inability to consistently execute across an entire 20-over contest remains the biggest difference between DC and the league’s top sides.
“You have to give your all on every ball. I think we are not doing well there,” he admitted.
Starc absence hurt bowling plans
Badani also acknowledged the impact of Mitchell Starc’s absence during the opening half of the tournament.
The Australian fast bowler missed Delhi’s first nine matches, forcing the team to repeatedly alter its bowling combinations and powerplay plans.
While Badani stopped short of using Starc’s absence as an excuse, he admitted the left-arm quick’s arrival allowed Delhi to structure their bowling attack far more effectively.
“Once Starc came in, it became easy for us to start off our innings with Starc and then hold back Ngidi,” he explained.
The coach praised Lungi Ngidi’s contributions throughout the campaign, describing him as one of the side’s key bowlers and a reliable defensive option, while Starc remained the go-to wicket-taking weapon whenever breakthroughs were required.
Future remains bright for Delhi Capitals
Despite another disappointing finish, Badani remained optimistic about the franchise’s future and reserved special praise for young pacer Auqib Nabi, who earned opportunities after impressing in domestic cricket.
“He has had a very good season in red-ball cricket and has also done very well in white-ball cricket. I believe he will get better in the future,” Badani said.
For now, however, Delhi are left wondering what might have been. In Badani’s view, IPL 2026 was not a season dominated by heavy defeats or glaring weaknesses, but one where a handful of moments spread across multiple matches proved decisive in keeping the Capitals out of the playoffs.