Axar Patel Applauds Kuldeep and Vipraj’s Spin Brilliance in Commanding Win Over RCB

Delhi Capitals skipper Axar Patel heaped praise on his spin duo Kuldeep Yadav and Vipraj Nigam following their match-winning performances in the six-wicket triumph over Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.

On a surface not traditionally known to favor spin, the Capitals’ wristspin twins turned the game on its head, combining for exceptional figures of 4 for 35 from their eight overs. Their spells throttled RCB’s innings and set the stage for a successful chase, spearheaded by KL Rahul’s sublime unbeaten 93.

Wristspin Masterclass at Chinnaswamy

Kuldeep, the seasoned left-arm wristspinner, continued his fine form with figures of 2 for 17, while young legspinner Vipraj Nigam followed up his impactful outing against Chennai Super Kings with another impressive spell of 2 for 18. His standout moment came during the powerplay — often a spinner’s danger zone — when he conceded just two runs in his first over, helping DC regain control after RCB’s fiery start.

“Kuldeep has been doing it for many years,” Axar said at the post-match presentation. “But it’s not easy to be consistent, especially on a stage like the IPL. With Vipraj, after some pressure in the first two games, the way he’s bowled since then has been brilliant. Tonight, when I asked him for the 18th over, he was confident and ready. That’s the kind of trust you want as a captain.”

The duo’s effectiveness was even more notable given the venue. The Chinnaswamy Stadium is renowned for its high-scoring matches and has often proven a graveyard for spinners. But Kuldeep and Vipraj defied that narrative, using flight, turn, and clever variations to dismantle the RCB middle order.

Spin in the Powerplay: A Tactical Gamble

Axar himself bowled the second over of the innings — a tactical ploy that didn’t quite work, conceding 16 runs — but the idea, he explained, was based on match-ups and the nature of the surface.

“Their openers like facing pace, so I thought of changing things up. When I bowled, I could sense the ball was sticking a bit, and there was bounce. It became clear spinners would be hard to score off. As the innings progressed, there was more turn, especially for the wristspinners,” he said.

Despite admitting that he “went a bit overboard with tactics” by bowling himself in the 19th over — which went for 17 runs — Axar was content with the end result. “Since we won, it’s all good,” he laughed.

KL Rahul the Finisher

Delhi’s chase wasn’t straightforward. Reduced to 67 for 4 in the 12th over, they looked in deep trouble before KL Rahul stepped up in sensational fashion. Batting at No. 4 — a change from his usual opening role — the Karnataka batter anchored and then accelerated, finishing with a magnificent 93* off 53 balls to seal the win with 13 balls to spare.

“It becomes easy for me as captain when there’s a player like Rahul,” Axar noted. “He’s used to floating up and down the order and understands the pressure. Switching from opening to middle order isn’t easy, but he adapted perfectly. After I got out to a bad shot, he played a mature innings and finished the job with Stubbs.”

Axar also hinted that Rahul is carrying the form he showed in the Champions Trophy into this IPL campaign, bringing calmness and composure to DC’s middle order.

Key Figures from the Match:

Kuldeep Yadav: 4-0-17-2
Vipraj Nigam: 4-0-18-2
KL Rahul: 93* (53 balls)
DC win by 6 wickets with 13 balls to spare

With this performance, Delhi Capitals not only maintained their unbeaten run but also showcased their growing depth — both in experience and youth — in the spin department. As Axar aptly summed it up, “Nothing better than having confident spinners and match-winning floaters in your squad.”