NewKerala.com

DC's Middle-Order Collapse Seals 23-Run Defeat to CSK, Says Venugopal Rao

Delhi Capitals' Director of Cricket, Venugopal Rao, pinpointed a devastating middle-order collapse where they lost four wickets in four overs as the primary reason for their 23-run defeat to Chennai Super Kings. He also lamented a sloppy fielding performance that he believed cost the team 15-20 crucial runs. Rao praised Sanju Samson's match-winning century for CSK, calling him a "class player." The official remained non-committal on the specific return date for key bowler Mitchell Starc.

Key Points: DC's Batting Collapse Costs Game vs CSK: Venugopal Rao

  • Middle-order collapse cost DC the match
  • Poor fielding conceded extra runs
  • Sanju Samson's century praised by opposition
  • Mitchell Starc's return timeline unclear
2 min read

IPL 2026: Losing four wickets in four overs cost us the game, says DC's Venugopal Rao

Delhi Capitals' Director of Cricket Venugopal Rao cites losing four wickets in four overs and poor fielding as key reasons for their 23-run loss to Chennai Super Kings.

"I felt losing four wickets in four overs was the turning point. - Venugopal Rao"

Chennai, April 12

Venugopal Rao, the Director of Cricket at Delhi Capitals, admitted that a middle-order collapse in the face of some superb bowling from Chennai Super Kings led to team's a 23-run defeat in their IPL 2026 clash at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.

Chasing a target of 213, DC lost momentum after a flurry of wickets, and were bowled out for 189. "I think after seeing this second innings batting, there was a bit of that feeling (that CSK posted an above-par total). Two overs, 24 in the middle overs, I think it cost us. Obviously, if you look back now, after seeing CSK's bowling, their four fast bowlers bowled well. They knew the conditions and executed it well.

"I felt losing four wickets in four overs was the turning point. In this format, losing back-to-back wickets always causes harm to the team. I think it is a game of momentum. If we had restricted them to 15-20 runs fewer, psychologically we have a better chance of chasing down a total below 200," said Rao in the post-game press conference.

DC also had a sloppy fielding performance, including a botched run-out and a catch dropped of Sanju Samson on 52, who went on to score an unbeaten 115.

"I think fielding was one area that we need to improve a lot. If we fielded well, we could have saved 15-20 runs, and it would have helped us a lot. It happens in a long tournament. You will have one or two bad games. Obviously, if you look back, first three games we fielded well, we took good catches. One odd game, fielding matters. If you remember after the strategic timeout, one over, we missed one run-out and one catch," added Rao.

Regarding DC's personnel, Rao remained tight-lipped about Mitchell Starc's return and the potential inclusion of Nikhil Chaudhary. "Yeah, I think in a week we'll let you know (on Starc's availability)."

Despite the loss, Rao was full of praise for Samson's brilliant century for CSK. "He's a class player, boss. You need to accept it. For him coming to a new franchise, obviously a big run is always important. I think this hundred might help him for the next few games."

- IANS

Share this article:

Reader Comments

S
Sanjay N
Respect to Venugopal Rao for being honest. He's right, 213 at Chepauk is always tough. CSK's home advantage is massive. But dropping Samson on 52? That's criminal in T20 cricket. You just can't give a player of his class a second life.
P
Priyanka N
Samson's century was pure class! 👏 So happy for him. Moving to a new franchise and scoring a ton like that under pressure... what a player. DC bowlers had no answer once he got set.
A
Aman W
The real issue is team composition. Why is the middle order so fragile? The management needs to look at this seriously. One bad game in fielding can be forgiven, but the batting pattern is a recurring problem. #DC
M
Michael C
Watching from the UK. CSK's bowling attack was clinical. They exploited the conditions perfectly. DC's chase never had the momentum after those quick wickets. The IPL standard is just incredible.
K
Kriti O
I appreciate Rao's analysis, but it feels like stating the obvious. Everyone saw the collapse. What we need to hear is *what* they will do to fix it. Hope Starc's return brings some stability to the bowling too.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50