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Kuldeep & Axar vs Rahane: Key IPL 2026 Powerplay Battle for DC vs KKR

Delhi Capitals host Kolkata Knight Riders in a crucial IPL 2026 clash at home. Spinners Kuldeep Yadav and skipper Axar Patel could target KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane in the powerplay overs. Rahane has struggled against Kuldeep with a strike rate of just 70.37 and two dismissals in five innings. KKR enters the match on a three-match winning streak after recovering from a six-match winless run.

Key Points: DC vs KKR: Can Kuldeep & Axar Exploit Rahane in Powerplay?

  • Kuldeep Yadav has struggled this season with 7 wickets in 10 matches
  • Rahane has scored 205 runs in 9 innings at average of 25.62
  • Rahane's strike rate vs Kuldeep is just 70.37
  • DC look to protect home fortress after 4 losses this tournament
2 min read

IPL 2026: Can Kuldeep-Axar exploit vulnerable KKR skipper Rahane in early powerplay match-up?

Delhi Capitals aim to defend home fortress against KKR. Can Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav exploit Ajinkya Rahane's weakness in the early powerplay overs?

"Against Kuldeep, Rahane has a strike rate of just 70.37, having been dismissed twice in five innings. - ESPNCricinfo"

New Delhi, May 8

As Delhi Capitals take on Kolkata Knight Riders at home, the team's spinners Kuldeep Yadav and skipper Axar Patel could target opposition skipper Ajinkya Rahane, who has struggled to score consistently in the tournament so far.

An upbeat KKR, on a hat-trick of wins after a six-match winless run, will be taking on the Capitals, who will be looking to go all out to preserve their fortress which has been breached four times this tournament. Kuldeep, who has had a poor tournament with just seven scalps in 10 matches at an average of over 44 and an economy rate of 10.40, could be crucial in this early match-up against Rahane.

Against Kuldeep, as per ESPNCricinfo, Rahane has a strike rate of just 70.37, having been dismissed twice in five innings. He has scored just 19 runs in 27 balls against Kuldeep, having hit just one four. Against Axar, Rahane's strike rate is way better at 123.52. Rahane has scored 84 runs in 68 balls against Kuldeep, having been dismissed twice in 11 innings. He has hit Axar for eight fours and a six, but the DC skipper has managed to contain his run-scoring well against Rahane.

This season in nine innings, Rahane has scored 205 runs in nine innings at a modest average of 25.62 and a strike rate of 131.41, with a half-century to his name and a best score of 67.

Squads: Delhi Capitals Squad: Pathum Nissanka, KL Rahul(w), Nitish Rana, Karun Nair, Axar Patel(c), Tristan Stubbs, Sameer Rizvi, Ashutosh Sharma, Mitchell Starc, Kuldeep Yadav, Lungi Ngidi, T Natarajan, Vipraj Nigam, Abishek Porel, Auqib Nabi Dar, David Miller, Dushmantha Chameera, Kyle Jamieson, Rehan Ahmed, Mukesh Kumar, Ajay Jadav Mandal, Prithvi Shaw, Tripurana Vijay, Sahil Parakh, Madhav TiwariKolkata Knight Riders Squad: Ajinkya Rahane(c), Finn Allen, Angkrish Raghuvanshi(w), Rinku Singh, Cameron Green, Rovman Powell, Manish Pandey, Anukul Roy, Sunil Narine, Vaibhav Arora, Kartik Tyagi, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ramandeep Singh, Tejasvi Dahiya, Navdeep Saini, Tim Seifert, Rachin Ravindra, Blessing Muzarabani, Matheesha Pathirana, Rahul Tripathi, Sarthak Ranjan, Prashant Solanki, Saurabh Dubey, Umran Malik, Daksh Kamra.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

J
James A
I think people overlook how clever Ajinkya Rahane has been as a captain this season. Yes, his personal form hasn't been great, but KKR were down and out after six straight losses and now they've won three on the trot. He's marshalling his bowlers really well. If he gets through the first six overs against Kuldeep and Axar, which is possible with his experience, KKR will be well set. Let's wait and watch.
N
Nikhil C
Honest question: Why is Kuldeep getting so many games this season? His performance has been nothing short of disappointing — 7 wickets in 10 matches is not good enough for a frontline spinner. He's going at over 10 runs per over too. At this point, I wonder if Delhi should give Rehan Ahmed a chance. But then again, maybe this match-up against Rahane is exactly what he needs to turn things around. 🤔
K
Kavya N
The numbers are quite stark! Rahane scoring at just 70 strike rate against Kuldeep shows that he has absolutely no answer for his googly. And Axar has a superb match-up too. But here's the thing — KKR's middle order of Rinku, Green, and Powell is absolutely lethal. If Delhi's spinners dismiss Rahane early, they still have a very dangerous batting lineup to deal with. This could be a classic contest of strategies. 🏏
D
Deepak U
I'm a bit disappointed with how Delhi Capitals have managed their squad this season. They have David Miller and Kyle Jamieson sitting on the bench but persist with the same combination that has lost 4 home games. How can you let Mitchell Starc play 10 matches when he's clearly not in form? And as for Rahane vs this match-up — if I was in the DC camp, I'd save Axar for the middle overs against Rinku and Green. That's where the game will be won or lost, not in the powerplay. Just my two cents.

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