- April 30, 2025
IPL 2025 has been all about surprises, and last night’s DC vs KKR fixture was no exception. While the Kolkata Knight Riders head into their next game with a victory, the bigger question on every fan’s lips was: did the Delhi Capitals get their tactics wrong? From underutilized bowlers to dubious decision-making, this match reflected a mixture of brave decisions but also missed chances. Let’s now analyze what went wrong (or right) and whether or not DC threw KKR the win on a platter.
Sunil Narine is the Game Changer, Delhi Didn’t Plan For
Sunil Narine
By now, you think teams would have learned by now not to underestimate Sunil Narine, but that certainly seems to have been the case when the Kolkata Knight Riders dismantled the Delhi Capitals. Narine didn’t just bowl well, he turned the entire match upside down. An in-form Narine with the ball when the Delhi Capitals were in a good position controlled a manageable match. The Delhi Capitals found themselves with wickets in hand, the current run rate required, and a game plan to chase the target; and then Narine came in and seemed less than interested in allowing any of that to matter!
It wasn’t just the way he bowled, it was when he bowled. Narine, as captain, sensed the moment when the DCs were about to pounce, and acted right at that moment. By dismissing two set batters so early, it had put them in a big hole to chase. Narine’s ability to remain calm in the moment was exemplary captaincy, and clearly, DC had no answer. Not being able to see this move coming and not even being able to adapt to it effectively was and is one of DC’s first tactical errors.
Delhi’s Confused Bowling Call
Let’s talk about the elephant in the dugout – why on earth did DC not use Wasim Aar in the powerplay? He has been DC’s better first-change bowlers this year, so it would have rattled KKR’s openers to play with a bit of early tempo when KKR went spin-heavy. Forget about it being foolish, DC waited and waited to the extent that it was almost funny.
And to boot, Kip hardly got through his quota. Hopefully, Rinku Singh’s aggressive mindset was not a factor, but should DC not have foreseen this? T20 cricket, especially against aggressive middle orders, is about trusting your bowlers to find their feet and settle down, not bringing them out of the attack the first time they look like going off the rails.
Meanwhile, KKR played the conditions as if it were a nicely annotated script. Picking Un Roy was a brilliant decision, and going spin-heavy was exactly what the pitch warranted. KKR were just a step ahead tactically at all times during the match.
The Russell-Powell Dilemma & Delhi’s Opening Conundrum
Andre Russell
Despite their win, KKR still have questions to answer- most obviously, how to use Andre Russell and Rovman Powell. Both heavy hitters, but not enough time in the middle. For example, Russell has only faced 55 balls so far this season. That is borderline criminal for a player of that quality. He should, at a minimum, be used to walk in by the 12th over-whatever the situation, especially with Powell as a cushion.
But, getting back to Delhi: the musical chairs at the top of the order has become a meme at this stage. Six different opening pairs? Seriously? While George Bailey and Narine looked good, the real problem is that DC genuinely does not seem to know who their best combination is. It’s hard to find any sort of rhythm when your batting order changes more than your bowling plans!
As IPL intensifies and the pressure for play-offs mounts, teams cannot afford far too many random non-changes or non-usage of the big guns. So, here is the question: Can Delhi find the right combination and stick with it, or does indecision continue to plague the campaign?
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