Delhi Capitals (DC) had suffered an injury during their IPL 2026 match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) when captain Axar Patel suddenly had to leave the field after suffering pain while batting during the chase at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Saturday (April 18).

Axar Patel seemed to be in complete control in 26 runs off 19 balls but suddenly felt severe cramps in his calf. He tried to continue, but the pain wouldn’t allow it. After a brief check by the physiotherapist, he had to retire injured and leave the field, which generated tension in the DC dugout.

Relief for DC as positive update on Axar Patel arrives

After their 6-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), Delhi Capitals director of cricket Venugopal Rao shared a positive update on Axar’s fitness.

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He made it clear that it was just cramps and Axar should be fine and ready for the next match against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on April 21 in Hyderabad.

Venugopal Rao said in the post-match press conference: “Just a cramp. Cramp, that’s all. He will be fit for the next match.”

We need to push: DC Cricket Director on Axar Patel’s strong return against RCB

Meanwhile, the director of cricket also spoke about Axar Patel’s mixed season so far. His batting hasn’t done much, with 29 runs in five matches, but he has still made an impact with the ball by picking up 5 wickets and keeping things tight with an economy of around 7.5.

The DC captain’s best show was against RCB as he looked more confident with both bat and ball, scoring 26 runs and also taking 2 wickets for 18 runs. However, Axar has full support as the captain of the Delhi team as the all-rounder also puts in a lot of effort behind the scenes.

He further noted: “Of course, when you are captain of a team, you always look at not only his captaincy but also the ball and the bat. He is working hard. He told us, ‘I have been working on it for some time’. I think he spent a lot of time in the nets in the last few days. He showed this result. At the same time, between the wickets, at the end of the day, we have to press.”

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‘Bowl it, Bapu’: How Hemang Badani turned on Axar Patel

Venugopal said the DC coaching staff, including head coach Hemang Badani, has been backing Axar to stay positive and trust in his all-round abilities, especially in tough times. And that support helped him bounce back with wickets in important periods.

He signed off saying, “I think the coach was pushing him to bowl when Devdutt Padikkal was batting. He said, ‘Come on, get it in. Wicket will come’. Sometimes, you know the strength. If you see it from the outside, you know he can do it. But since you have little confidence, you feel like someone has to put pressure. I think that’s where Hemang Badani said, ‘Play, Bapu’. He will come. And he got a wicket and then too He fired Tim David.”