Delhi Capitals (DC) kicked off their IPL 2025 campaign with impressive form, securing victories in their first four matches and losing only once in their initial six games. However, Wednesday’s 59-run defeat against Mumbai Indians (MI) marked their fifth loss in the last six completed matches, costing them a playoff spot.
DC’s head coach, Hemang Badani, identified their frequent opening changes as a significant factor in their exit. Even during their early successes, DC shuffled between three opening pairs: Faf du Plessis and Jake Fraser-McGurk, Fraser-McGurk and KL Rahul, and Abishek Porel with Fraser-McGurk. The team experimented with four more combinations as their campaign progressed, ending with their openers averaging just 19.23 – the lowest across all teams. “A settled opening pair is only possible when your opening pair gives you a start,” Badani explained. “If you don’t get starts, you are bound to make changes to try and fill that gap, fill that void.”
Karun Nair, introduced in DC’s fifth match, made a striking impact with his 40-ball 89 against MI, which included a remarkable assault on Jasprit Bumrah during the powerplay. Yet, inconsistency plagued Nair in subsequent games, with three single-digit scores, including two ducks. Despite being promoted to opener in two matches, his highest contribution was just 31 runs.
KL Rahul faced a similar predicament, starting the season at No. 4 before being shuffled through the order. Munaf Patel, DC’s bowling coach, mentioned Rahul’s request to open against Gujarat Titans, where he hit an unbeaten 112 before opening again in the Mumbai match. Badani reflected, “You ideally want people to read the game and play. Even someone like Karun Nair, though he’s made a comeback into the IPL after two-three years, he’s a seasoned campaigner. You don’t necessarily have to literally spoon-feed them.”
Tom Moody and Varun Aaron noted DC’s openers struggled with consistency. “Change often leads to a lack of confidence,” said Moody, highlighting the impact of regular tinkering with the line-up. Aaron added that DC had essentially played “musical chairs” with their opening positions.
The match against Mumbai exemplified DC’s struggles. MI’s Suryakumar Yadav expertly capitalised on the penultimate overs from Mukesh Kumar and Dushmantha Chameera, setting DC a daunting target of 181 on a tricky surface for strokeplay.
Ultimately, despite their strong start, DC’s fluctuations in form and unsettled opening combinations saw their IPL journey cut short, leaving fans and analysts pondering what might have been with a more stable top order.
