CSK vs DC, IPL 2026: ‘Losing four wickets in four overs was the turning point,’ says Delhi Capitals Director of Cricket Venugopal Rao

After starting the tournament with two wins in two, Delhi Capitals has been pegged back with consecutive losses against Gujarat Titans and Chennai Super Kings. The team’s Director of Cricket, Venugopal Rao, suggested that losing a flurry of wickets together dented its chances to chase down the target of 212 at the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium.

After Pathum Nissanka’s opening blitz helped the team past 50 runs in no time, the CSK pacers reduced the side to 76 for four. Tristan Stubbs’ 30-ball 68 went in vain as the team failed to recover from the slide to mount a serious challenge.

“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 fewer, psychologically we have a better chance of chasing down a total below 200,” he opined.

DC also squandered multiple chances on the field, including a botched run-out and a catch dropped of Sanju Samson, who went on to score an unbeaten hundred.

“It happens. It’s a long tournament, we will have one or two bad games,” Rao said. “In the first three games, we fielded well. One-off game; after the strategic timeout, we missed a run-out and gave a life to Sanju in the same over,” he added. 

Rao also said that the team will have an update about pacer Mitchell Starc’s return in a week. He also refused to divulge any further information on Australian spinner Nikhil Chaudhary, who has been training with the team despite not being added to the squad officially. 

Published on Apr 12, 2026