Delhi Capitals (DC) captain Axar Patel had high praise for his wristspinners Kuldeep Yadav and Vipraj Nigam after a six-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in IPL 2025.
On a sticky M Chinnaswamy Stadium surface, Kuldeep picked up 2 for 17 from four overs with his left-arm wristspin and Nigam 2 for 18 with his legspin as DC kept RCB to 163 for 7. One of Nigam's overs was in the powerplay, after RCB had raced to 62 for 1 in four overs, and he conceded only two runs in that.
"Kuldeep has been doing it for many years," Axar said at the post-match presentation, "but it's not easy to be consistent - the IPL is a big stage, and has its own pressure.
"Talking about Vipraj, in the first two games, he was under a bit of pressure. But after that the way he bowled in the last game [he got 2 for 27 against Chennai Super Kings (CSK)] and even tonight, when I asked him for the 18th over, he was confident and said he would bowl. He is improving day by day, and if someone gives you that confidence, nothing better than that for a captain."
Axar also talked about the "tactical use" of spin in the powerplay. He himself bowled the second over, though that went for 16.
"Obviously, we talk about match-ups and look at what is happening from the wicket," he said. "Their openers prefer facing fast bowlers, so I was thinking I should not bowl fast bowlers much. When I started bowling, the ball was sticking in the pitch, and there was some bounce too. I realised it was difficult to score off spinners.
"As the match progressed, the ball started turning more for wristspinners. But I think I went a bit overboard with tactics for the 19th over [where Axar went for 17 runs] (laughs)! But since we won, it's all good."
It wasn't an easy chase, though. DC were 67 for 4 after 11 overs, and the asking rate had climbed to 10.77. But KL Rahul, batting at No. 4 with Faf du Plessis back in the side and opening, played an innings of 93 not out off 53 balls, and took the side home with 2.1 overs to spare.
"It becomes very easy for me when there is such a player," Axar said of Rahul. "I have also been in that situation. I know how it feels when you are used as a floater in a pressure situation.
"As a batsman, when your position changes, it's not that easy. One day you are opening the innings, playing a new ball; then [another day] you have to come in the middle and do this. But for me, it is good to have such a player in the team. After I got out by playing a bad shot that was not needed at that time, he played a mature innings and took us home with [Trsitan] Stubbs. I think he is carrying the form of from the Champions Trophy."