Former Indian cricketer Cheteshwar Pujara has advised the Delhi Capitals captain Akshar Patel Be careful not to be too casual with your behavior and body language during the IPL 2026 season. The all-rounder was appointed captain of the franchise last season and led the team to fifth place.
Akshar is known for his easy-going demeanor, which he has also incorporated in his leadership style. The Capitals got off to a promising start under his captaincy, winning their first four games, but then went on a five-match winning streak that ultimately saw them miss the playoffs. Pujara stressed that there is a fine line between maintaining a comfortable approach to avoid pressure and being overly careless, which could risk losing the team's valuable momentum.
“Axar Patel is very calm, he doesn't take too much pressure. His personality is really good, especially for the IPL where there is a lot of pressure. He supports his players, but he has to be careful not to relax too much. He shouldn't be extra careless and let the momentum go away from him. DC had the momentum last year, but they let it go. They have to be careful about that this season,” Pujara said on Star Sports.
Axar had a challenging season with the ball in IPL 2025, taking just five wickets at an average of 57.60 and an economy rate of 8.47. Mohammad Kaif believes that considering Axar's ability to bowl in the powerplay and his recent form, he should perform better with the ball in IPL 2026.
Kaif said, “Akshar Patel can bowl with the new ball in the powerplay, but last year the problem was that he got only a few wickets because he did not have runs to defend. He will bowl with the new ball this time too, followed by Kuldeep and Vipraj Nigam, so I am not worried about that. Last season was not that good, but he will make a strong comeback this year.”
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