Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: Despite two successive losses in IPL 2026, Delhi Capitals head coach Hemang Badani remains confident that his side has identified its flaws and is ready to respond, insisting the team has already “figured out” the areas of concern ahead of a crucial clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Indian Premier League on Saturday.Delhi have slipped into the bottom half of the table after defeats to Gujarat Titans and Chennai Super Kings, but Badani downplayed concerns around momentum, instead focusing on clarity within the squad.IPL 2026: GT vs KKR Live Score‘We have addressed the issue’“There is a lot of conversation about momentum in tournaments like this,” Badani said in the pre-match press conference. “But I think it is more about finding out what the area of concern is for a certain side. We have kind of figured out, or at least we think we have addressed that issue.”Backing his batters to deliver, Badani pointed out that the team has consistently put up competitive totals.“We have scored 190 and 200. We lost a game by one run. In the last game as well, we scored around 180–190. It is a question of our batters coming good at that point in time. I think we will be okay,” he added.Faith in youngsters remains intactBadani also threw his weight behind young pacer Auqib Nabi, who endured a tough debut against CSK, conceding 17 runs in two overs.“There are two things why we went hard for him — his temperament and consistency,” Badani explained. “He has maintained equilibrium. Many players react differently to ups and downs, but he has been the same throughout.”“He has the skill-set to play at a higher level. Everyone has nerves in the first game, but I think he will do well for us,” he added.RCB pose a stern challengeWhile DC search for consistency, RCB have emerged as one of the most balanced sides this season, led by an in-form Virat Kohli, who currently holds the Orange Cap. Crucially, RCB’s batting no longer revolves solely around Kohli, with contributions from Rajat Patidar, Devdutt Padikkal, Phil Salt and Tim David strengthening their lineup.Patidar, in particular, has been exceptional, leading the six-hitting charts this season.For Delhi, inconsistency remains a major concern. Experienced names like KL Rahul, David Miller and Tristan Stubbs have struggled for rhythm, while skipper Axar Patel and spinner Kuldeep Yadav are yet to hit top form.
