‘We didn’t seize those moments’ – Badani on DC’s what-could-have-been season

A Familiar Narrative of Near-Misses

For the fifth consecutive year, the Delhi Capitals (DC) have finished their Indian Premier League campaign outside the playoff positions. It has become an unsettling trend for a franchise that seems unable to find the consistency required to challenge for the title, regardless of the personnel or the leadership at the helm. Following the conclusion of the 2026 season, the partnership of Hemang Badani and skipper Axar Patel has once again failed to guide the team into the top four, leaving fans and management alike to reflect on another year of unfulfilled potential.

Despite opening their campaign with two promising victories, DC ultimately finished in sixth place. Reflecting on the campaign, Hemang Badani was blunt in his assessment: the season could have been vastly different had the squad managed to capitalize on critical junctures. ‘We didn’t seize those moments’ – Badani on DC’s what-could-have-been season highlights the margins that define professional T20 cricket, where a single dropped catch or a misjudged bowling change can dictate the final standings.

The Anatomy of Lost Opportunities

Badani pointed to specific encounters that ultimately defined the team’s trajectory. The one-run loss against the Gujarat Titans stands out as a glaring example of how narrow the gap was between success and failure. Furthermore, the inability to defend a mammoth total of 264 against the Punjab Kings showcased the defensive vulnerabilities that plagued the team throughout the year. Dropped catches during high-pressure moments against Chennai Super Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad only served to compound these frustrations.

Beyond the tactical errors, a deeper issue persisted: the lack of consistent wicket-taking. Despite ending the tournament on a high note by bowling out the Kolkata Knight Riders for a 40-run victory, DC concluded the season with only 64 wickets across 14 games—a figure that stands as the joint-lowest in the entire league. The absence of strike bowler Mitchell Starc for the first nine games was a significant blow, as his limited participation yielded 11 wickets at an average of 20.36.

Leadership and Mentality in the Hot Seat

Captain Axar Patel echoed Badani’s sentiments regarding the season’s difficulties, though he emphasized the pride he felt in the squad’s resilience. Even after playoff qualification became mathematically impossible, the team showed character by winning their final three matches. ‘We were not playing well, but we kept fighting,’ Axar noted in a post-match broadcast. ‘The way we played the last three games was a very good effort until the final ball of the season.’

Axar also offered a rare glimpse into the psychological demands of captaincy. Tasked with managing a struggling unit, he admitted that maintaining his own mental clarity was the most significant challenge. ‘I have learnt about myself that in a high-pressure tournament, you need to take care of everyone, but it’s most important to be in a good frame of mind yourself,’ he explained. By focusing on internal calm, he aimed to avoid the frustration-driven decision-making that often hampers teams in crisis.

Looking Toward a Necessary Reset

As the curtains close on the 2026 season, the Delhi Capitals face an uncertain transition period. The upcoming season will feature a soft reset, with operational control shifting from GMR Sports back to JSW Sports. This change in governance brings a glimmer of hope that the structural issues that have plagued the team for half a decade might finally be addressed.

For now, however, the stats remain stark. The team finished with 14 points, a testament to their inability to close out the tight games that separated them from the playoff contenders. Whether the franchise can break this cycle of ‘what-ifs’ remains to be seen. While faces in the dugout and the front office may change, the fundamental challenge of building a cohesive, match-winning unit remains the primary hurdle for the Delhi Capitals as they look toward a rebuilding phase in the coming year.