4 min readUpdated: May 9, 2026 07:19 AM IST
“Eighteen years, obviously, it hurts.”
Delhi Capitals director of cricket Venugopala Rao has endured a lean run with the franchise as a player a decade ago. It was the Daredevils back then, when Rao was part of a squad that bagged the wooden spoon twice between 2011 and 2013.
A stinging eight-wicket loss to the Kolkata Knight Riders on Friday, a fifth in succession at home, put the Capitals all but out of Playoffs contention, extending the wait for the elusive title by another season.
“I think today also, when we got a good start, we couldn’t capitalise. In this kind of tournament, you can’t miss those patches. Eighteen years, obviously, it hurts. Seriously, when you look back, when I played during my days, I always wanted to win from the Daredevils’ time to now. It’s a learning process for me. Coming into the administration part, I’m still learning a lot of things,” said Rao, who took over the role with the franchise last year.
While a third consecutive batting collapse at the Feroz Shah Kotla grounds has pushed Delhi down to the eighth spot with seven losses, Rao could not single out a specific problem that needs immediate attention.
ALSO READ | IPL: KKR bowlers, Finn Allen choke Delhi
The DC batters struggled to sustain momentum yet again batting first, ending at 142 for eight, 13 runs short of their previous outing against the Chennai Super Kings earlier this week. The batters once again ceded control within the first 11 overs, losing half the side before the KKR bowlers choked them through the second half. Matters turned from bad to worse as Kolkata romped home on the back of a whirlwind Finn Allen century that punished the Delhi bowlers with 15 boundaries. Allen was batting on 42 off 26 deliveries when he was dropped by Tristan Stubbs at long-on. The Kiwi batter soon pressed into overdrive, smashing 58 in his next 21 balls with nine maximums.
“I think three departments failed today. After getting a good start, after seven or eight overs, we were in a good position, one wicket or something down. Then later on, in the next six to seven overs, we couldn’t get a boundary. Not only batting, but also in bowling or fielding. I think the whole tournament, we couldn’t win those small, small areas,” Rao said.
Story continues below this ad
Ill-fated form
The indifferent form of captain Axar and wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav have exemplified DC’s recent rut. Axar has had a woeful batting season – scoring only 44 runs at 6.28 – contributing 11 off 22 balls on Friday night. Meanwhile, Kuldeep has struggled for bowling rhythm, running wicketless in six of the 10 innings this edition, including figures of none for 41 in three overs against KKR.
While Rao backed the World Cup-winning stars for a turnaround, he rued the minimal contribution from the seniors in the latest defeat.
“With players like him [Kuldeep] and Axar, if both are in good form together, it strengthens the bowling group a lot,” he added.
“We always want a captain, a person like him, who has been in the two World Cup-winning squads, coming into this tournament [in form]. Somewhere, I think, he lost his form and that hurt us.
Story continues below this ad
“When you look back at today’s opposition, some of the seniors couldn’t perform. So, we need to face the music,” admitted Rao.
