Shubman Gill and Axar Patel (Pic credit: IPL)

NEW DELHI: There seems to be a spring in every step Delhi Capitals are taking this season. Yes, it might be only two games so far, but with two comprehensive victories, Capitals give the impression of finally translating their potential into performance and look capable of being a team that can go the distance. The Axar Patel-led team will be eager to build on its impressive start and complete a hat-trick of victories when they face a winless Gujarat Titans on their home turf here at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Wednesday night.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The good news for Titans is that their regular skipper Shubman Gill is fit and available to play after missing out the last game against Rajasthan Royals due to muscle spasms. Though ‘Impact Player’ Sameer Rizvi hogged the headlines with two scintillating half-centuries, it’s the performance of the bowlers that set up the twin wins for the Capitals. Their bowling unit appears to be a well-rounded one, with the pace triumvirate of Lungi Ngidi, Mukesh Kumar and T Natarajan making up for the absence of Australian speedster Mitchell Starc. Mukesh seems to have learnt quickly from his seam-bowling partner Ngidi, adopting similarly clever deceptions of pace and length which helped him peg Mumbai Indians back in the previous tie and return with impressive figures of 2/26.“If you manage to get two or three wickets in the Powerplay for around 40 runs, it will be difficult to score over 200 unless you bowl badly at the death. That’s what we have been able to do so far. The presence of Lungi Ngidi has also helped. He has variations and a good slower ball. He is putting the experience of playing in Indian conditions during the World Cup recently to good use. He also provides useful tips to his fellow pacers,” said Capitals bowling coach Munaf Patel.

Skipper Axar has not been afraid to bring himself on or use leg-spinning allrounder Vipraj Nigam in the Powerplay. The dexterity of left-arm wrist-spin bowler Kuldeep Yadav has helped the Capitals maintain pressure on their rivals even in the middle overs. The only tinge of worry for the Capitals would be the cheap returns of their top-order batters KL Rahul and Nitish Rana in the first two matches. Rahul, with scores of 0 and 1 and Rana, with 15 and 0, will be keen to repay the faith shown in them by the team management, who have offered them their favoured batting slots.The Titans will be smarting from the defeat against Rajasthan Royals in the previous encounter as they choked during the run chase. Their bowling attack, comprising Mohammed Siraj, Kagiso Rabada, Ashok Sharma, Prasidh Krishna and experienced spinner Rashid Khan looks intimidating on paper but has been guilty of leaking runs.For Titans to come out of their slump, it is imperative that the batting clicks in unison. Hopefully, Gill will be out there leading them from the front.NUMBER GAMES

—Stats: Rajesh Kumar

MS Dhoni during a practice session. (PTI Photo)

NEW DELHI: MS Dhoni could be on the verge of a much-anticipated return for Chennai Super Kings, with the veteran set to undergo a crucial fitness test ahead of their IPL 2026 clash against Delhi Capitals on Saturday.The 44-year-old has missed the opening matches of the season due to a calf strain sustained during the preparatory camp. With CSK reeling from three consecutive defeats, his possible comeback comes as a timely boost for a side searching for stability and leadership.

Fitness test to decide Dhoni’s comeback

According to an IndianExpress report, Dhoni will undergo a fitness assessment over the next two days, which will determine his availability for the Chepauk fixture. The franchise has so far adopted a cautious approach, resisting the temptation to rush him back despite his steady progress in training.Although Dhoni has not travelled with the squad for away matches and was absent at the stadium during the home game against Punjab Kings, he has remained actively involved in practice sessions. Ahead of that fixture, he spent considerable time batting at the MAC B ground and later trained at the main stadium nets without showing signs of discomfort.The signs have been encouraging, but the team management is keen to ensure full recovery before bringing him back into match action. If he clears the fitness test, Dhoni is likely to feature in what could be a turning point fixture for CSK.

Brevis edges closer, middle order boost likely

Alongside Dhoni, Dewald Brevis is also nearing a return after recovering from a side strain. The young middle-order batter has missed the first three matches but has been travelling with the squad, indicating progress in his rehabilitation.Head coach Stephen Fleming confirmed that Brevis is “closer” to regaining full fitness. “We hope he is going to be right for the next game. We have been conservative, and hopefully these next few days go as planned,” Fleming said.Brevis’ return would significantly strengthen a fragile middle order that has struggled for consistency in his absence.

Rishabh Pant and Sanjiv Goenka (X)

Former England captain Michael Vaughan has weighed in strongly on the growing scrutiny surrounding Lucknow Super Giants owner Sanjiv Goenka, cautioning that repeated on-field interactions with players could disrupt the team’s internal balance. The debate intensified after Lucknow’s defeat to Delhi Capitals, where Goenka was seen in a visibly animated discussion with skipper Rishabh Pant. The visuals quickly went viral, drawing comparisons to the widely discussed fallout with KL Rahul during the 2024 season. In an attempt to control the narrative, LSG later released what they described as an “unfiltered” clip of the interaction. However, the move did little to silence speculation, with some fans questioning the authenticity of the footage and suggesting it may not have been the original exchange. Reacting to the situation, Vaughan criticised the optics of such conversations taking place in public view immediately after matches, stressing that even harmless discussions can be misinterpreted. “I’m intrigued by this franchise, I must admit. I look from quite far away, and I keep seeing things on social media, and I see the owner on the pitch with Rishabh, with Tom Moody, Justin Langer. I hate seeing that. I just hate seeing it after one game on the pitch. You can have those conversations in private. And even if they’re nice conversations, I just don’t understand them because what you’re doing is leading people to suggest that other things are said in that group that maybe aren’t. It might have just been a fun conversation, who knows? But yeah, they’re an interesting franchise. But I think the Lucknow wheels could get quite loose quite quickly,” he said on Cricbuzz. Vaughan further emphasised the importance of clarity within the leadership group, particularly around Pant’s role, suggesting that any decision should be backed consistently rather than changed frequently. “Often quotes are taken out of context, but if there is even a hint of confusion in the group, then clarity is key. If the decision is for Rishabh to take on that role alongside Mitch, it should be backed for five or six games,” he added. Interestingly, Pant responded on the field in LSG’s very next outing against Sunrisers Hyderabad. After a modest return against Delhi, the skipper produced a composed yet authoritative unbeaten 68 off 50 balls to guide his side home in a tense chase of 157. The innings stood out not just for the result but for the control Pant showed. On a slightly slow surface, he balanced caution with aggression, finishing the game in style by taking on Jaydev Unadkat in the final over when 9 runs were needed. Two crisp boundaries, including a forehand-like slap and a lofted drive, sealed a five-wicket win with one ball to spare. Earlier in the match, Mohammed Shami had set up the victory with a masterful spell of 2 for 9, dismantling SRH’s top order with clever variations and relentless accuracy. Despite a strong recovery from Heinrich Klaasen and Nitish Kumar Reddy, SRH’s total of 156 proved insufficient. Pant’s knock, coupled with Shami’s brilliance, helped LSG regain momentum, but off-field questions around leadership dynamics and management involvement continue to linger as the season progresses.

Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni (PTI Photo)

NEW DELHI: Rohit Sharma added another milestone to his name during Mumbai Indians’ IPL 2026 clash against Delhi Capitals on Saturday, even though his innings was a modest 35 runs. The experienced opener hit five fours and a six before getting out, but that one six was enough to put him in the record books.With that shot, Rohit became the Indian player with the most sixes against a single team in IPL history. He now has 51 sixes against Delhi Capitals, going past MS Dhoni’s previous record of 50 sixes against Royal Challengers Bengaluru.