New Delhi, April 3: Kuldeep Yadav, the left-arm spinner for Delhi Capitals (DC), stated on Friday that the team’s objective in the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) is to capitalize on their home advantage. They aim to win at least five out of the seven matches scheduled at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi.
Following a six-wicket victory against Lucknow Super Giants, Delhi Capitals will face Mumbai Indians in their second match of IPL 2026 on Saturday. Last season, the team’s performance at home was disappointing, managing to win only one out of five matches, which dashed their hopes of reaching the playoffs.
During a press conference on Friday, when asked about the team’s goals, Kuldeep remarked, “If we play good cricket, we can certainly aim for five wins at home (out of seven matches). We haven’t discussed last season’s home record much. This time, we expect to perform well in all seven matches at our home ground. We want to play good cricket and give our fans a reason to celebrate. That’s why we’ve set a target of winning at least five out of seven matches.”
Kuldeep has been performing consistently in the IPL since 2025, taking 17 wickets at an economy rate of 7.1 and a strike rate of 19 over 14 innings. However, his performance against the formidable batting lineup of Mumbai Indians has been average. In 12 innings against them, he has taken 10 wickets, but with an economy rate of 8.8 and a strike rate of 25.
He acknowledged the strength of the Mumbai Indians, saying, “Mumbai Indians are a strong team with a powerful batting lineup. They performed well in their first match. With players like Rohit, Surya Kumar, Hardik, and Tilak, they bring a lot of experience and quality. Indian players have consistently performed well for Mumbai in recent years. We will strategize accordingly and aim to dismiss them as quickly as possible.”
Kuldeep also spoke about playing under the captaincy of left-arm spin all-rounder Axar Patel. “My primary role is on the field, and most of my communication happens there. Axar is a senior player, and KL Rahul, who plays as the wicketkeeper, has a great rapport with the bowlers. We’ve only played one match so far, and it was a good start. There is no pressure on our bowling attack. As the tournament progresses, we will learn more, improve, and try to put pressure on the opposing teams.”
He expressed confidence in the top-order batsmen of Delhi Capitals, stating that experienced players like Nitish Rana and Pathum Nissanka will perform well in upcoming matches. Additionally, he supported the decision to promote Tristan Stubbs over David Miller, which proved to be a wise choice as Stubbs played a commendable innings.
Leave a Comment