Delhi Capitals (DC), under new captain Axar Patel, began IPL 2025 in red-hot form, winning their first four matches. However, their momentum has fizzled out at home. In three games at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, they've lost two and barely won the third via a Super Over, raising major concerns about their form in Delhi.
Meanwhile, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are trying to find consistency themselves. After making tactical changes by bringing in Rovman Powell and Chetan Sakariya, they're sticking with a settled combination despite a rain-washed no-result against Punjab Kings.
Key Concerns for Delhi Capitals
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KL Rahul's Form:
After a sizzling start (185 runs in three innings), Rahul's output has dipped sharply at home: just 179 runs in five innings at a strike rate of 127.85. -
Kuldeep Yadav & Mitchell Starc's Decline:
Kuldeep's wicket-taking rate and economy have worsened over the last five games. Starc, after a brilliant start, has only two wickets in his last five matches. -
Home Pitch Strategy:
DC have been tailoring slow, low pitches to negate opposition strengths, but it hasn't consistently worked in their favour. They will again rely on a sluggish surface against KKR.
Team News and Likely XIs
Delhi Capitals (likely XII):
Faf du Plessis, Abishek Porel, Karun Nair, KL Rahul (wk), Axar Patel (c), Tristan Stubbs, Vipraj Nigam, Mitchell Starc, Dushmantha Chameera, Kuldeep Yadav, Mukesh Kumar, Ashutosh Sharma/Mohit Sharma.
Kolkata Knight Riders (likely XII):
Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Sunil Narine, Ajinkya Rahane, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, Rovman Powell, Andre Russell, Harshit Rana, Vaibhav Arora, Varun Chakravarthy, Chetan Sakariya.
Spotlight Players
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Faf du Plessis (DC):
Needs to step up at the top, especially with Jake Fraser-McGurk out of form. His experience will be vital on a slow pitch. -
Rahmanullah Gurbaz (KKR):
KKR are banking on Gurbaz to stabilize the opening partnership alongside Narine. So far, he’s had minimal impact but will hope to turn things around in Delhi.
Pitch and Conditions
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Expect a slow, low surface with limited bounce.
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Playing spin smartly will be crucial, suiting the likes of Narine and Varun Chakravarthy from KKR.
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No notably short boundaries (pitch 5, central wicket), so six-hitting won't be easy.
Key Stats and Trivia
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Kuldeep Yadav vs Narine: Dismissed Narine twice in just three balls across two innings.
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Sunil Narine vs DC: 24 wickets – only behind Ashwin, Bumrah, and Piyush Chawla against this franchise.
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Weak opening partnerships:
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KKR average 19.87 per opening stand (second worst).
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DC slightly better at 24.22.
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Quotes
"He's bowling really good, the lengths he is hitting. And he is mixing it up well. I won't take any names, but we should keep learning watching other teams play."
— Harshit Rana on taking inspiration from bowlers like Josh Hazlewood
Quick Poll Recap:
Will playing on a slower surface backfire against DC?
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Yes: Narine and Varun Chakravarthy could dominate.
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No: KKR’s batting frailty could still haunt them.
Overall:
Both sides have vulnerabilities — DC have home pressure and loss of form among stars; KKR struggle with openers and batting consistency. The team that handles the slow surface better could gain a crucial edge in the playoff race.
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